HULL, Iowa (STPNS) --   Mr. Earl Vaas, age 90, of Hospers, passed away on Wednesday, October 27, 2010, at the Heritage House Nursing Home in Orange City. There was a memorial service on Saturday, October 30, at 11 a.m., at the Newkirk Reformed Church, rural Hospers. The Rev. David Powers officiated. Interment was prior to the service at the West Lawn Cemetery in Orange City. There was a prayer service on Saturday, at 9:45 a.m., at the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City. Visitation was after 4 p.m. on Friday, with the family present from 6-8 p.m., at the funeral home.



  Earl Benjamin was born on March 27, 1920, in Orange City, the son of Ben and Elizabeth (Vander Haak) Vaas. He was raised at Newkirk, where he graduated from high school in 1939. On August 27, 1953, he married Wilma Evelyn Van Oort in Newkirk. They farmed at Newkirk until 1982, when they moved into Newkirk, although Earl continued to help on the farm.

  On May 14 of this year, Mr. Vaas became a resident of the Pleasant Acres Care Center in Hull. On August 23, he transferred to the Heritage House. He was a faithful member of the Newkirk Reformed Church. He enjoyed sports and music, especially when he was watching his grandchildren perform. His grandchildren and great-grandchildren knew him as the ‘candy grandpa’. His other joys were farming, gardening, and flowers.

  Survivors include his wife of more than 57 years; a son and his wife, Brent and Glenda Vaas, and a daughter and her husband, Anita and Charles Hofland, all of Hospers; five grandchildren, Ethan Vaas; Anna, and her husband, Justin Beukelman; Angela, and her husband, Nathan Pellow; Wade Hofland, and his wife, Joslyn; and Brandon Hofland, and his wife, Sarah; eight great-grandchildren, Carter Anderson; Logan and Lucas Pellow; Jackson, Hannah, and Haley Hofland; and Hunter and Olivia Hofland; and two sisters-in-law, Hendrene, and her husband, Dwayne Gutcher, of Arizona; and Carol Bras, of Hospers.

  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother and his wife, Donald and Winifred Vaas; a sister and her husband, Lillian and Robert De Jong; in-laws John Van Oort, and his wife, Anna; a sister in-law, Harriet Jean and her husband, Marion Andringa; and a brother in-law, Leroy Bras.