Eleanor Vandekop, 74, Rock Rapids, Iowa, died Saturday, Jan. 31, 2004, at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D.Services were Tuesday, Feb. 3, at United Methodist Church in Rock Rapids. Burial was in Hillside Cemetery at Lester, Iowa. Eleanor LaVonne Nelson was born to Emil and Teckla (Nordstrom) Nelson on Oct. 26, 1929, on a farm northwest of Corson, S.D. She attended rural school west of the family farm through the 5th grade. The school district was consolidated into Franklin school district in Lake County, south of Madison, S.D. She continued her education through the sophomore year when her parents moved to a farm southwest of Colton. She graduated from Colton Public School in 1947. After graduation, she attended General Beadle College at Madison, majoring in elementary education. After college, she began teaching at a rural school at Clark, S.D. She continued her education with correspondence courses from Iowa State University at Ames, Iowa. She married John "Don" Vande Vooren on June 18, 1948, at Swedona Covenant Church in Brandon, S.D. They moved to Lester where she continued teaching at Logan 6, south of Lester, through 1951. In 1952, they moved to the Vande Vooren farm northwest of Lester where they farmed until 1969. They moved to Lester. Her husband owned Don’s Wiring, Plumbing & Heating in Hills. She was a substitute teacher in area schools from 1952 to 1965. She next worked at Lester State Bank for 10 years and then worked for the Lyon County Reporter in Rock Rapids for 10 years. She next worked as a trial court clerk at Lyon County Clerk of Court in Rock Rapids, retiring in 1993. Mr. Vande Vooren died on June 18, 1988.She married Herb Vandekop on April 26, 1992, in Rock Rapids. They lived in Rock Rapids. Mrs. Vandekop was a member of United Methodist Church in Rock Rapids, She loved traveling, camping and dancing. Survivors include her husband, Herb Vandekop, Rock Rapids; three daughters, Marsha (James) Martinson, Inwood, Iowa, Melanie (Darrell) Leenderts, Brookings, S.D., and Ann (Glen) Boeve Steen; three stepchildren, Steve (Carol) Vandekop, Yankton, S.D., Doris (Vick) Chohon, Columbus, Neb., and Marilyn Vandekop, Rock Rapids (special friend, Art Jacobson) seven grandchildren; five stepgrandchildren; five stepgreat-grandchildren; one brother, Rudolph "Rudy" (Catherine) Nelson, Sioux Falls. Mrs. Vandekop was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband, John "Don" Vande Vooren, two brothers, Melvin and Clarence Nelson, and one sister, Evelyn Belfrage. Roste Funeral Home, Rock Rapids, was in charge of arrangements.
