Dorothy DeJong

Dorothy R. DeJong, 89, of Keokuk, died Saturday, March 26, 2005 at Keokuk Area Hospital. She was born September 19, 1915 in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Rev. Francis F. and Ruth Helmick Robinson. On June 29, 1941, in Lake City, Iowa, she married G. William DeJong with her father officiating. He preceded her in death on October 2, 1993. In 1937 she graduated from Morningside College where she was a member of Mu Phi Epsilon, national honorary music society. She taught music in Gowrie, Iowa, and in 1939 moved to Keokuk where she also taught music. From 1944 to 1994 she worked with her husband and later her son operating DeJong's Funeral Home. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Keokuk where she was the choir director for many years. She was a 67-Year member and Past President of Chapter IG, P.E.O.; 62-year member of Elmira Chapter #40, Order of the Eastern Star; 62-year member and Past Worthy High Priestess of Malta Shrine #12, Order of White Shrine of Jerusalem; Past President of Keokuk Daughters of the Nile; past secretary of the Civic Music Association; and a member of the Soroptimist Club. In 1976 she was named Woman of Achievement by the Business and Professio...[more]

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Women. She is survived by two daughters, Alyce Labanics and her husband, Charles, of Shreveport, Louisiana and Martha Sorth and her husband, Dan, of St. Louis, Missouri; a son, Dirk R. DeJong and his wife, Theresa, of Keokuk; five grandchildren, Richard Labanics of Chicago, Illinois, Kathryn Scruggs and her husband, Kevin, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Sarah DeJong of San Diego, California, Elizabeth DeJong and her fiancé, Jeffrey Fuchsen, of Cedar Falls, Iowa and Laura DeJong of Keokuk; great grandson, William Glen Scruggs of Tulsa, Oklahoma; two nieces,Harriet Voris of Charlotte, North Carolina and Susan Baxter of Woodstock, Georgia; and two stepsisters, Edalene McCarthy of Burlington, Iowa and Clarice Speck of Sioux City, Iowa. She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents and stepmother; a sister, Charlotte Voris; a grandson, Robert Bryan Labanics; and a son-in-law, Marion Plumlee. Funeral services were held Thursday, March 31, 2005, at DeJong's Funeral with Pastor Dale Thomas and Rev. William Mitchell officiating. Burial was in Oakland Cemetery. Memorials may be made to P.E.O. Educational Loan Fund; First Baptist Church Organ Fund; or to Keokuk Area Hospital Foundation.