Leonard "Red" Van Bemmel

DOON, IOWA- Leonard “Red” Van Bemmel, 84, of Doon, died Sunday, February 14, 2021 at his home.

   Memorial Service will be 11:00 a.m. Friday, February 19, 2021 at the United Reformed Church in Doon with Rev. Joshua Engelsma of the Doon Protestant Reformed Church officiating. Private family committal at Hillside Cemetery will precede the service. Visitation will be after 2:00 p.m. with the family present from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Thursday at the United Reformed Church.

   The service will be livestreamed on the church website, www.doonurc.org. The family prefers memorials be directed to the Christian School of your choice. The Porter Funeral Home in Rock Valley is assisting the family.

   Leonard “Red” Van Bemmel, son of Albert and Gertrude (Van Tol) Van Bemmel, was born on January 18, 1937 near Doon, Iowa on the family farm. He attended Doon Christian School and Western Christian High School. He enlisted in the US Army in 1955 and while stationed in Germany he married Sonja Ruth Andres in Ludwigsburg on June 1, 1957. They moved to Doon in 1959. Leonard worked various jobs in the area including at the Doon Coop. In 1973, he purchased the Doon Coop and operated it as “Red’s Service” until 1999.

   He served as an elder and deacon in the Doon Christian Reformed Church. He was currently a member of the Doon Protestant Reformed Church. He loved travelling back to Germany, while Ruth was alive and also after Ruth passed away. Red enjoyed visiting with friends and family. He spent many years playing fast-pitch softball, raising cattle, and tending his farm north of Doon. He was a man of deep faith and testified that his only comfort was that he belonged body and soul to his faithful Savior Jesus Christ.

    Red is survived by 5 children, Rainer (Diane) Van Bemmel of Doon, Patsy (Dennis) Vander Schaaf of Matlock, Iowa, Glenn (Deb) Van Bemmel of Doon, Kathleen (Harlan) Harmelink of Sioux Center, Iowa, and Mike (Lori) Van Bemmel of Doon; 3 siblings, Gertrude Van Den Top of Hull, Iowa, Marie (Jack) Van Dam of Lake Wilson, Minnesota and Marion (Carol) Van Bemmel of Luverne, Minnesota; 2 sisters-in-law, Mary Ann Van Bemmel of Rock Valley, and Wilma Van Bemmel of Doon; 20 grandchildren; and 38 great-grandchildren.

   Red was preceded in death by his wife of 44 years, Sonja Ruth; son, Alan Van Bemmel; daughter-in-law, Gloria Van Bemmel; infant brother, Henry; 2 brothers, Henry Paul Van Bemmel and Alvin Van Bemmel; 3 great-grandchildren, Kane Van Bemmel, Belle Van Bemmel, and Brynn Key; and brother-in-law, John Van Den Top.