Mr. Frank De Vries, age 83, of Orange City, went to be with his Lord, whom he loved, on Saturday, December 9, 2006, at the Happy Siesta Nursing Home in Remsen.

There will be a funeral service on Tuesday, December 12, at 11:00am, at the First Reformed Church in Orange City. The Rev. David Ter Beest and the Rev. Nathan De Vries will officiate. Interment will follow at the West Lawn Cemetery in Orange City. Visitation will be after 5:00pm on Monday, with the family present from 5:00pm to 7:00pm, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.

Frank was born on December 20, 1922, in rural Orange City, the son of George and Jennie (Siebersma) De Vries. He attended country schools and the Sioux Center High School. During World War II, he served in the Army Air Force, where he was an aviation engineer.

On December 14, 1944, he married Ruth Vanden Berge in Sioux City. They made their home at Orange City, where they first farmed for five or six years. He then was the owner and operator of the American Legion Bowl and Café in Orange City. In 1970, he became a real estate agent and auctioneer in the Orange City area.

In October of 2005, Mr. De Vries moved to Happy Siesta.

He was a member of the First Reformed Church, where he had served on the consistory as a deacon. He was also active in the Orange City Community as a member of the Pressman-Kosters American Legion Post, the Lions Club, the board of directors of the Industrial Development Corporation, and the Tulip Festival Steering Committee, including a year as chairman.

Frank enjoyed golfing, playing cards and snooker, and fishing and hunting.

Survivors include his wife of almost 62 years; a daughter and her husband, Mary and Willard Van Vugt, of Orange City; a son and his wife, Franklin and Jan De Vries, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; six grandchildren, Kristin (De Vries) and Jared Steffen, Justin De Vries, Sarah Van Vugt, Franklin Chad De Vries, David Van Vugt, and Connar De Vries; three great-grandchildren; a brother and his wife, George and Kathleen De Vries, of Orange City; and a sister-in-law, Joyce De Vries, of Orange City.

He was preceded in death by two sisters and four brothers, Lucy, and her husband, Ben Fedders; Elmer De Vries, and his wife, Dena; Steve De Vries, and his wives, Eva and Marge; Etta, and her husband, Henry Harmelink; Marion De Vries, and his wife, Ruby; and Cornie De Vries.

Memorials may be directed to Northwestern College in Orange City, the Orange City Area Home Health and Hospice, and the Alzheimer's Association.