- Date Of Birth: February 14, 1936
- Date Of Death: February 21, 2022
- State: Iowa
Douwe “Dewey” Veenstra was born on February 14, 1936, in Hallum, the province of Friesland, the Netherlands, to Jim (Ynto) and Wilma (Wopkje Van Gunst) Veenstra. At age 16, he immigrated to the United States, and lived with a farmer.
On August 22, 1958, he was united in marriage to Wilma Vernooy in Pella. To this union, they were blessed with three children: Brenda, Steven, and Corwin.
Dewey began his work career at a young age. He attended school in the Netherlands, and started welding at age 12, while standing on an orange crate. Dewey worked at Van Gorp Manufacturing more than twenty years, while working nights at Zylstra Welding. Following that he started Precision Pulley in Pella with five other partners. Then he bought Schiebout Tire Company with his brother and a friend, that they owned for over 30 years.
Dewey is survived by his wife, Wilma Veenstra, and their family:
Brenda Olsthoorn of Pella
David Veenstra Olsthoorn of Pella
Derek Joel & Morgan Olsthoorn of Ames
Elliott Scott
Levi Joel
Steven (the late Melinda) Veenstra of Pella
Paighton Jo Veenstra of Ankeny
Corwin (Sandra) Veenstra of Pella
Kayla Dawn Veenstra of Pella
Courtney Marie Veenstra of Pella
Dewey is also survived by a brother Gerben Veenstra and his wife Kathy of Pella, sister-in-law Jennie Veenstra of Pella, and many nieces and nephews both in the Netherlands as well as the states.
He was preceded in death by his parents Jim and Wilma Veenstra, parents-in-law Cornelius and Grace Vernooy, daughter-in-law Mindy Veenstra, twin brother John Veenstra, brother Gerrit Kingma and his wife Theresa Kingma, sister Tine Bosma, brother-in-law Piet Bosma, and sister-in-law Joann Menninga and her husband Arlan.
