Bertus Harold Schelhaas

   BERTUS HAROLD SCHELHAAS, age 85, of Leota, died Wednesday, March 7, 2018, at the Avera Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD.  He was born on August 25, 1932 to Peter & Cornelia (Gilman) Schelhaas in Sioux Falls, SD.  He attended country grade school, Leota Christian School, SWCH and finished his education at Western Christian High, where he was a bus driver.

Bert was a member of Ebenezer Christian Reformed Church his whole life.

Bert was in the Army as a radar operator stationed in New York from 1953 - 1955. 

Bert was married to Marie Verbrugge on September 22, 1955.  They were blessed with 3 children: Ivan, Velva and Terry Lee who died as an infant.  Bert lovingly stood by Marie’s side as she dealt with polio and its relapse until her death in 2002.

Bert began trucking in 1957 and his son Ivan joined him in 1976.  For the majority of his life he hauled chickens, livestock, cement powder for Pronk Ready Mix and anything that would fit in the box.  For a long period he hauled feed and grain for Mouw’s Feed & Grain and Chandler Feed.  After retiring from his own business, he finished his trucking career driving for Kleinjan Trucking. 

Bert loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren dearly and attended as many of their activities as he could.  He spent lots of time following sports at SWCH, sometimes arriving very early to get the best seat.  He so looked forward to the times we got together as a family.

If you ever needed to find Bert, he could be found shootin’ the bull at the Leota Café.  He also enjoyed collecting cars, tractors and toys as well as attending toy shows and auctions and distributing Bibles for the Gideons. 

Bert is lovingly remembered by his children, Ivan (Sandy) Schelhaas, Leota MN, their children Brigette (Jamie) Pap, Morgan, Makenzie, Ryan and Tyler, Luverne MN; Jessica (Aaron) Osmanson, Christian, Isaiah and Makayla, Sioux Falls SD; Becca (Brent) Van Schepen, Hannah, Josiah and Judah, Edgerton MN; and Bryce (Andrea) Schelhaas and Caroline, Sioux Falls SD and Velva (Dave) Kooiman, Edgerton MN, their children Michelle (Aaron) Van’t Hul, Silas, Elliott and Isabel, Sioux Falls SD and Tim Kooiman, Delavan WI.  Sisters, Hattie Jean (Milt) Schaap, Edgerton MN, Marcia (Dwayne) Bruns, Fort Myers, FL, Ruth (Myron) Spronk, Green Bay, WI, sister-in-law Joyce Schelhaas, Kenneth MN, brother-in-law Howard Van Essen, Edgerton MN, sisters-in-law Elizabeth Van’t Hof, Leota MN and Lorraine Van Nieuwenhuizen, Luverne MN and brother & sister-in-law Jim & Marcia Verbrugge, Watkinsville, GA

Bert was preceded in death by Marie in 2002, infant son Terry Lee in 1962, infant grandson Jeremy Dean Schelhaas in 1982, Parents, Pete & Cornelia Schelhaas, infant sister Beth, brother Dalwyn Schelhaas, sister Mary Van Essen and Marie’s parents, James & Jennie Verbrugge and brothers-in-law Tony Van’t Hof and Don Van Nieuwenhuizen.

   Visitation will be from 4-6 pm Sunday at the Ebenezer Christian Church in Leota. Committal with full military honors will be at 9:30 am Monday at the Leota Community Cemetery. Funeral service will be 10:30 am Monday at the Ebenezer Christian Reformed Church in Leota.

   In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.

   Arrangements are being handled by Dingmann Funeral Home and the Leota Burial Association.

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