Myron W. (Mike) Van Peursem of Orange City, passed away peacefully early Friday morning, February 13, 2009, at his home at the age of 87. He had been fighting prostate cancer for nearly two years.

There will be a funeral service on Monday, February 16, at 1:30pm, at the First Reformed Church in Orange City. The Rev. Edward Suffern and the Rev. Dr. Perry De Groot will officiate. Interment will follow at the West Lawn Cemetery in Orange City. Visitation will be after 2:00pm on Sunday, with the family present from 2:00pm to 4:00pm, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.

Myron Wilbur was born July 8, 1921 on a farm north of Orange City, to John and Winnie (Van Steenbergen) Van Peursem. He attended Orange City Christian Grade School and graduated from Northwestern Classical Academy in Orange City. He served with the United States Army Air Corp during World War II for two and a half years as an instructor in gunnery training. After his discharge, he married Lenora Ver Hoeven on June 3, 1947 in Orange City.

For the next 36 years, Mike and Lenora farmed 160 acres north of Alton. In addition, he enjoyed selling seed corn and was a substitute rural postal mail carrier for Orange City. He was a member of the First Reformed Church, where he also taught Sunday School. He enjoyed fishing, loved sports, and was an active member of the Pressman-Kosters American Legion Post in Orange City, serving as commander for several times. For nearly 35 years, camping was also a big part of their married life. They retired in 1983, when they moved into Orange City. In 2006, they moved into their condominium, where he passed away.

He will be deeply missed by his wife of 61 years, Lenora, and his four children and their spouses: Jerry and Andrea Van Peursem of Thornton, Colorado; Judy and Nolan Vander Broek of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Marlin and Jane Van Peursem of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Marlo and Sue Van Peursem of Pella. In addition, he is survived by nine grandchildren and spouses: Kimberlee Van Peursem, of Thornton, Colorado; Nicole and Eric Caverly and Natalie and Matt Yungner, all of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Nora and Ryan Faircloth, of Des Moines; Jena Van Peursem of Bartlesville, Oklahoma; John Van Peursem, of Sioux Falls; Amara Van Peursem, of Shanghai, China; Kristina Van Peursem, and her fiancé, Matt Reiter, of Orange City; Breanna Van Peursem, of Pella; and six great-grandchildren: T. J. Gray; Christina, Michael, and Mishelle Caverly; and Kate and Gavin Yungner. He is also survived by three sister-in-laws and spouse: Dolly Van Peursem of Lantana, Florida; Muriel and Cal Langerud of Mesa, Arizona; and Janel Ver Hoeven of Longmont, Colorado.

He was preceded in death by one granddaughter and her husband, Jennifer and Troy Gray; one great-grandchild, Michael Gray; one brother, Cecil Van Peursem; one sister and her husband, Grace and Neal Mol; and two brother-in-laws: Hank Giesman and Rodger Ver Hoeven.

Memorials may be directed to the Orange City Area Hospice.