Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at First Christian Reformed Church in Orange City with the Revs. Timothy Ouwinga and Thomas Vanden Heuvel officiating. Burial will be in West Lawn Cemetery in Orange City.
Visitation will be after 2 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 7:30 p.m., at Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.
Mr. Docter was born June 21, 1901, in rural Orange City, the son of Jacob and Lillian (Vander Maaten) Docter. He graduated from Orange City Christian School and then began farming with his father.
He married Jeanette Reinsma on Jan. 17, 1926, in Orange City. They farmed near Orange City until 1964 when they moved into Orange City. He was a substitute mail carrier for many years, including four years as a full-time carrier during World War II.
She died March 12, 1971, in Orange City.
He married Bertha (De Beer) Jonker on June 27, 1972, in Orange City. They lived in Orange City until November 1991, when they moved to Pioneer Memorial Home. In December 1996, they moved to Heritage House Nursing Home.
He was a lifelong member of First Christian Reformed Church where he served for many years as an elder. He also was active in the Men's Society and Choral Society, and twice served as a delegate to the Synod of the Christian Reformed Church. He served for many years on the board of directors of area Christian schools, including Orange City Christian School, Western Christian High School in Hull, Iowa, and Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa.
He enjoyed farming, music, reading, traveling and was a member of the board of directors of the local farm cooperative.
Survivors include his wife; a daughter and her husband, Della and Alvin Jelgerhuis of Orange City; four grandchildren, Elmer Jelgerhuis, Leanne Gillson, Lynell Dykstra and Drew Jelgerhuis; eight great-grandchildren; five stepchildren and their spouses, Arthur and Carolyn Jonker of Orange City, Elaine and Bernard Hietbrink of Bella Vista, Ark., Wilfred and Gertrude Jonker of Rock Valley, Iowa, Faye and Ken Pluim of Sioux Center, and Terry and Jan Jonker of Plano, Texas; 14 stepgrandchildren; 31 great-stepgrandchildren; two great-great-stepgrandchildren; and two sisters, Marge Hofmeyer of Orange City, and Carrie Jonker of Mesa, Ariz.
He also was preceded in death a daughter, Lillian; two great-grandchildren, Christian Jelgerhuis and an infant; three sisters, Jennie Hubers, Gertrude VanDriel and Arta Vander Zwaag; and three brothers, Arthur and two in childhood.
Sioux County Capital 2000-12-28.
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