It is with great sadness that we announce the unexpected passing of Ivan Henry Maasdam on Dec. 21, 2021, at the age of 79 years old.
He will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 55 years Betty and two sons Kirk and Jason. He has five grandchildren: Kirk and Becky’s Josie, Levi, and Dylan; and Jason and Lily’s Olivia and Janie; and his sister Martha DeVries.
Ivan was predeceased by his parents Henry and Cornelia Maasdam and brother Kenneth Maasdam.
Ivan served in the United States Army active duty from 1964-1966 and the reserves until he was honorably discharged in 1969. He was stationed in Fort Polk, LA. He attended country school in Sully and went to high school at the then newly-organized Lynnville-Sully High School. He raised his family in Sully and subsequently moved to Oskaloosa in 1990.
Ivan enjoyed visiting his family in Orange City and Knoxville. One of things he enjoyed the most was having a hot dog and watching his grandkids play ball. He also enjoyed building and flying radio-controlled airplanes. You could often find him at the airfield in Ottumwa enjoying time with his flying club. He was very gifted in his mechanical ability to build and fly these airplanes. Those mechanical gifts also extended to his workplace where his co-workers would marvel at his ability to work on machines all day with a white shirt and be completely clean at the end of the day.
A celebration of life was in Oskaloosa at Bates Funeral Chapel on Monday, Dec. 27, at 1:30 p.m. An interment followed at Stewart Cemetery, 1035 Irvine Avenue, New Sharon.
Memorial donations may be made to First Christian Church at 119 Avenue East, Oskaloosa, in lieu of flowers.
