Memorial
Donald Stephan Van Dee, 81, was born November 10, 1933 near Williamsburg to Augustine and Margaret (Holderness) Van Dee, He Died November 17, 2014 at his home. He retired from Collins Radio Company and Midwest Metal Products.
He served his country in the U.S Army from February 8, 1951 to February 7, 1954. He was a Korean War veteran serving with the 194th Combat Engineers for 18 months. He earned a Korean Service Medal with 3 battle stars, a UN Service Medal with 2 O/S bars, National Defense Service Medal, Republic of Korea Presidential Citation and a US Presidential Citation with a Silver Star.
He was united in marriage to Jean Marie Croy on December 19, 1953 in Williamsburg, Iowa. To this union 5 children were born. They were divorced Oct 18, 1964.
He married Elizabeth Kauffman on March 29, 1969 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, They have 2 children, and they retired to Buffalo, Missouri in 1996. Don enjoyed hunting deer with his sons and nephews, fishing and making woodcrafts the he shared with family and friends, and watching the birds around his home. He worked with Habitat for Humanity in Buffalo, helping build several homes and numerous wheel chair ramps for people in need. Don was a member of St. Williams Catholic Church in Buffalo.
He is survived by his wife Elizabeth (Liz) who still resides in Buffalo, 3 sons; David (Lisa) of Lake Ozark, Mo., Donny of Cedar Rapids, Ia., and Shawn (Karen) of Cedar Rapids, Ia., 4 daughters; Deborah Buck (Edward House) of Sacramento, CA., Diana Nissen (Bryan) of Cedar Rapids, Ia., Linda Stahlberg (Shane) of Grand Rapids, Minn., Tamara Van Dee (Kevin Taylor) of Ankeny, Ia., a stepson Rich Menadue, Chariton, Ia., also 12 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.
Don is also survived by 3 brothers; Edward (Wanda) of Marion, Ia., Mike (Beverly) of Cedar Rapids, Ia., and Carl (Sandy) of Corvallis, Ore., there are also 5 sisters; Mary Brown of Cedar Rapids, Ia., Betty McGee of Marshalltown, Ia., Florence Moellers (Robert) of Cedar Rapids, Ia., Sara Martens of Shellsburg, Ia., and Helen Mendenhall of Cedar Rapids, Ia. He is also survived by a sister in law; Betty Van Dee of Vining, Ia., a brother in law; Fred Hotchkiss, Texas and many loving nieces and nephews.
Don was preceded in death by 2 brothers; John and Andy and 2 sisters; Ida Mahan and Grace Hotchkiss and 1 granddaughter.
Funeral Mass: 10:00 a.m. Thursday at St. Ludmila Catholic Church. Burial: Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. A visitation will be held on Wednesday at Cedar Memorial Westside Chapel, where a rosary will be held at 7:00 p.m.