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JOHN VAN DER LINDEN
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John E. van der Linden, 92, Spirit Lake, died November 23, 2009 at Hilltop Care Center in Spirit Lake. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, November 28 at the Spirit Lake United Methodist Church. The family will greet friends from 3-5 p.m. at Wesley Place. Inurnment will be in Sunset Rest Cemetery at Northwood.
John Edward was born August 8, 1917 in Des Moines, the son of John and Kathleen Gaylord van der Linden. He grew up in Ames during the Depression, graduating from Ames High in 1935. He loved music. As a Boy Scout he played the bugle at military funerals and lied about his age to join the Iowa National Guard when a bugler was needed. He played the trombone and baritone horn in high school and college.
John graduated from Iowa State College with a degree in economics in 1940. While at the university he was the editor of the Sketch, a literary magazine, and the Green Gander, a humor magazine. He was a member of Sigma Nu social fraternity and was honored with membership in Cardinal Key, Sigma Delta Chi, Phi Kappa Phi and Delta Sigma Rho. He worked at the Ames Tribune and took a summer job at the Scott County Tribune in Walcott. Upon graduation he became a reporter at the Mason City Globe Gazette.
Having served in the ROTC in college, John was called into active military duty in December 1941. He served as an Army field artillery officer at six military camps before being stationed in Hawaii, the Philippines, and Hokkaido, Japan. He was discharged with the rank of major in 1946.
After WWII, John spent a year with the Iowa Department of the American Legion in Des Moines, and then accepted a job at the Marshall (Minnesota) Messenger. There he met his future wife, Marjorie Wetherbee, in a church choir. They were married November 27, 1948 and moved to Northwood where he became the editor of the Northwood Anchor, and four sons were born. John served as commander of the Legion Post and was active in the Lions Club. He organized and was the commander of an Army Military Government Reserve unit, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel.
The family moved to Sibley in 1960 where John was a partner and later sole owner of the Gazette-Tribune. He founded Northwest Iowa Publishers, a cooperative printing plant for several area newspapers. He also helped organize the Northwest Iowa Peach, a regional advertising supplement. John also acquired ownership of the newspapers in Sanborn, Rock Valley and Inwood for a time, and began publication of Dairyman's Digest magazine for the Associated Milk Producers. He was named a Master Editor-Publisher by the Iowa Newspaper Association in 1975.
In 1978 John sold the Gazette-Tribune and established a newspaper brokerage business. He and Marge built a retirement home on Spirit Lake in 1982. Although he slowed down a bit, he kept a small office downtown and didn't fully retire until 2006. They loved to visit Maui, Hawaii, and did so many times.
John was always active wherever he lived. He was a strong believer in the Boy Scouts of America. He was an Eagle Scout, served as a scoutmaster, and was honored with the Silver Beaver Award. He was a Kiwanian for 50 years in Sibley and Spirit Lake, serving as a lieutenant governor in 1982. He was a member of the University of Okoboji Foundation, the Friends of the Library in Sibley and Spirit Lake, the Dickinson County Trails Association, the Iowa State University Alumni Association (and Alumni Marching Band), the American Legion, the Reserve Officers Association, the Masonic Lodge, and Abu Bekr Shrine. He was named the Spirit Lake Citizen of the Year in 1996. He and Marge sang together in Methodist Church choirs for over 50 years.
John was long interested in politics. He and his brother Louis organized a Young Democrats Club while students at Iowa State. He was elected to the Northwood City Council. He served a term as Osceola County Democratic Chairman and was an unsuccessful candidate for state senator. He served on the Osceola County Board of Education and was named to the board of the Iowa Association of School Boards. He became president of that group in 1966. Governor Harold Hughes appointed him to the founding board of Iowa Public Television in 1967. Governor Robert Ray appointed him to two terms on the State Board of Public Instruction, and he was then named to the board of the National Association of State Boards of Education where he served as treasurer.
Known by many friends as "Johnny van", John seemed to know people wherever he went. He was welcoming to new faces in the community. John was a patient man who quietly taught his sons to be good citizens. He would give advice when asked, but would not thrust it upon you. He was proud of the accomplishments of his sons, their families, and his brothers' daughters, who were fond of their Uncle John.
He was preceded in death by his wife (October 2009); his brothers Louis (1971) and Spence (1982) and their wives; an infant brother Lane; and an infant son John Rodger (1952).
John is survived by his sons: Peter (Judy) of Spirit Lake and their children Gretchen, John and Mark; Dirk (Lee) of Belmond and their children Kathryn and Grant; and Tom (Jean) of LaCrescent, MN.
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©Belmond Independent 2010
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