June 8, 1947 – August 24, 2022

Jacob “Jack” Oolman, 75, of Orange City, Iowa, passed away on Wednesday, August 24, 2022, at the Sanford USD Medical Center and Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, August 27, at 9:30 a.m., at the Middleburg Free Grace Reformed Church in rural Orange City with the Rev. Mark Schwarz officiating. Interment followed the service at the West Lawn Cemetery in Orange City.

Jacob Paul, who would become known as “Jack,” was born on June 8, 1947, near Orange City, the oldest child of Myron J. and Pearl (Van Peursem) Oolman. He grew up on his parents’ farm west of Orange City and attended the Orange City Elementary School and the Maurice-Orange City High School. Following his graduation in 1966, Jack enlisted as part of the Army National Guard and was called to active service during the Vietnam War, stationed in Colorado.

On December 15, 1970, Jack was united in marriage to Carol Joan Huitink in Orange City. They made their home near Orange City, where Jack worked as a farmhand and as a welder at Silent Drive in Orange City. In 1976, Jack and Carol moved their family to a farm near Edgerton, Minn., where they raised their three children. In 2004, they returned to Northwest Iowa, settling in Middleburg. For the past seventeen years, Jack worked at Demco Manufacturing in Boyden, Iowa, assembling various small equipment. After retiring earlier this year, he started working part-time for Livestock Equipment and Manufacturing in Hull, where he helped out with a little bit of everything.

Jack was currently a member of the Middleburg Free Grace Reformed Church as well as a Saturday morning men’s Bible study group. He was also a member of the Pressman Kosters American Legion Post in Orange City and was honored to be a part of the Midwest Honor Flight in October of 2019, along with his army buddy and long-time friend, Norm Te Grotenhuis. Although he was no longer farming, Jack enjoyed collecting Farmall toy tractors, and traveling with Carol. Together they spent time in Lebanon and Branson, Missouri, where they enjoyed attending gospel concerts; and in Duluth, Minnesota, to see their daughter’s family.

He will be lovingly remembered by his wife of more than 51 years, Carol, of Middleburg; three children and their families, Kathy and Tony Fedora, of Duluth, and their children, Devon (Selin Ener) Fedora and Makenzie (Zac Johnson) Fedora; Terry and Beth Oolman, of Orange City, and their children, Collin and Cameron; and Dan and Heidi Oolman, of Orange City, and their children, Haylee, Paul, and Jocelynn; two sisters and their husbands, Phyllis and Al Beukelman, of Sioux Center, Iowa, and Myra and Norwin Bomgaars, of Orange City; a brother and his wife, Marvin and Sharon Oolman, of Orange City; two sisters-in-law and their husbands, Leona and Jerry De Boer, and Diane and Marlin Vollink, all of Orange City; three brothers-in-law and their wives; Wilson and Marilyn Huitink, of Sloan, Iowa; and Jim and Lorri Huitink, and Harlan and Nelva Huitink, all of Hospers, Iowa; along with numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents and his wife’s parents, Henry and Viola Huitink, he was preceded in death by an infant brother, Marvin; and a sister and her husband, Marietta and LeRoy Van Der Weide.