John Oetken , 58, of Le Mars, Iowa, passed away unexpectedly, Friday, July 26, 2019 at his home in Le Mars.

Memorial Service will be 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 31, 2019 at Christ Lutheran Church – Grant Township, rural Le Mars, Iowa. Burial will follow in church cemetery. Visitation with the family present will be from 1:00 p.m. until service time on Wednesday at the church. Arrangements are with the Rexwinkel Funeral Home in Le Mars, Iowa. Expressions of sympathy can be extended to the family through www.rexwinkelfh.com .

John Alan Oetken was born January 23, 1961 in Le Mars, Iowa, the son of Donald and Dixie (Vreugdenhil) Oetken. He was baptized and confirmed at Christ Lutheran Church – Grant Township. He attended school in Le Mars and graduated from Le Mars Community High School in 1980. While in high school, he helped area farmers.

Following high school, he went to work for Wells' Dairy in Le Mars. He was later transferred to their facility in Omaha, Nebraska. Most recently, he had worked for Nor-Am Cold Storage in Le Mars.

He was a member of Christ Lutheran Church – Grant Township. Recently, he had been attending ReJoice! Community Church in Le Mars. Through the years, John enjoyed watching NASCAR, Sprint Cars, and Iowa State Athletics. He also enjoyed throwing darts, spending time outdoors, feeding wildlife, and helping at the Plymouth County Museum. He will be remembered for his generosity and his willingness to help others.

Survivors include his siblings: Valerie (Keith) Den Hartog of Sioux Center, IA, Sue Oetken (Tom) Slifka of Winston Salem, NC, LuAnn Collmann of Brunsville, IA, Lance (Wendy) Oetken of Alton, IA, and Melinda (Dan) Stelling of Pierce, NE; 2 nieces and 4 nephews; 7 great nieces and 4 great nephews; his aunt and uncle: Tom and Marlene Arens of Le Mars; and numerous cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Dixie Oetken; and a brother in law: Tom Martin.