James F Dekker

James F. Dekker, 87, St. Petersburg, FL, died on Thursday, June 25, 2009 in St. Petersburg. Graveside committal rites of his cremated remains will be held on Thursday, August 6, 2009 at 1PM in the Rose Hill Cemetery at Clark with the Rev. Warren Rhodes officiating. Furness Funeral Home of Clark is serving the family. James F. Dekker was born on April 2, 1922 on a farm north of Garden City, the son of August and Mamie (Headley) Dekker. In 1924 the family moved to a farm north of Elrod. He attended Elrod Consolidated School through the tenth grade and then attended and graduated from Clark High School in 1940. He farmed with his father until 1942 when he attended Frye Aircraft School in Omaha. Upon completion of the training he went to work at Wright-Patterson Air Base in Dayton, OH. In 1943 he enlisted in the Naval Air Force program and on completion of that training, transferred to the Marine Air Force as a 1st Lt. He was stationed on an aircraft carrier and did police work in Japan at the end of WWII. He was united in marriage in March of 1945 at the Mohave Air Base in Mohave, CA to Dorothy Schrolucke. After his service duties were completed, they returned to Ohio and he attended Ohio State University at Columbus, graduating with a degree in Horticulture. The couple was in the wholesale and retail floral business for many years in Columbus and Sidney. The later were divorced. He was united in marriage to Mary Ann Lynch Steele. They resided in Columbus, OH. In 1989, they retired to St. Petersburg. Mr. Dekker is survived by a daughter, Melanie (Jerry) White of South Colby, WA, sister, Elizabeth Gunderson of Kulm, ND, several nieces, nephews and cousins. Preceding him in death were his parents and both wives. email condolences and sign an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com