Hilbert Van Westen

Hilbert Van Westen, 91 died Wednesday, February 8, 2017 at Avera McKennan Hospital, Sioux Falls. Funeral services will be at 10:30am Monday, February 13, 2017 at First Church of Monroe, Monroe, SD, burial with military rites at the Monroe Cemetery. Visitation with family present will be from 4-7:00pm Sunday at Hofmeister Jones Funeral Home, Parker. Hilbert Wiard Van Westen was born on March 25, 1925 at George, Iowa to Wiard and Grace (Nagel) Van Westen. At the age of 10 his parents moved to a farm south of Monroe, SD where he attended country school. He helped his Dad farm until he was drafted into the US Army, where he served in Germany and Belgium during WW II. Hilbert was a lifetime member of the Parker VFW Post 2821. In 2010 Hilbert was able to join the Honor Flight to Washington, DC. This experience was a highlight of his life. After returning home from WW II, Hilbert went into the trucking and corn shelling business for many years, and then later farmed in the Monroe area until he retired from farming in 2002. After retirement he spent time reading, and perusing gardening catalogs, and then planting gardens with different varieties of vegetables, roses, apple and other fruit trees. He also loved evergreens and planted many for future generations to enjoy. On April10, 1949 he was united in marriage to Delsie Schmidt in the church parsonage at Monroe. When they moved to town in 2000, they moved into the same house where they were married. Three children were born to this union, Sherlyn, Brenda, and Dale. Grateful for having shared his life are his wife Delsie, Marion; a daughter Brenda (Alan) Ratliff, Lennox; a son Dale (Shelli) Van Westen, Steen, MN; a son in law, Don Cooper, Lincoln, NE; 8 grandchildren, Greg (Sara) Cooper, Lincoln, NE, Brad (Heather) Cooper, Hebron, NE, Tim (Tonya) Ratliff, Crescent, IA, Becky (Nathan) Hunter, Elk River, MN, Wendy Ratliff, Harrisburg, Heidi (Will) De Witt, Sioux Falls, Zachary (Mindy) Van Westen, Rock Rapids, IA, and Alaina Van Westen, Steen, MN; 14 great grandchildren, with another coming soon; a brother George (Anne) Van Westen, Temple, TX; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, daughter Sherlyn Cooper, sister and brother in law, Tena and Marvin Wentzel, sister in law Mary Jo Van Westen, brother and sister in law Herman and Arlyne Van Westen.