David Lee Van Westen

Sibley, IA

David Van Westen age 83, of Sibley, Iowa passed away Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at the Osceola Regional Hospital in Sibley, IA.

Visitation will be on Monday, May 19, 2025, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Jurrens Funeral Home of Sibley.

Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 20th at the First Baptist Church in Sibley, with Daniel Winkowitsch officiating.

Burial will be in the Holman Township Cemetery of Sibley at a later date.

David Lee Van Westen was born on June 30,1941, in Sibley, Iowa, the son of Peter and Anna (Doeden) Van Westen. He grew up in Sibley and later graduated from Sibley High School in 1959. He then attended school at South Dakota State University in Brooking, SD for a year in the mechanical engineering field. On May 24, 1980, he was united in marriage to Elaine (Ganzevoort) VanWesten. Throughout the years, Dave has lived in Sibley, LeMars, and Rock Rapids. Dave attended First Baptist Church in Sibley.

David’s main hobby and interest was building race cars and dirt track racing from 1968 til the day he died. He was involved in every aspect of the sport and loved it very much. He was an inventor at heart and had many ventures. He invented a non-patented cam lifter organizing box.. He worked several places throughout his life such as Sibley Glass from 1961 to 1963, Walnut Grove Feed from 1964 to 1971, Hytest Feeds in Emmetsburg, IA from 1971 to 1980, Skewis Feeds in Sheldon, IA from 1980 until his retirement in 1985, after that he worked various sales & construction jobs. He also owned two businesses with his son Warren: Tri-State Recycling and FRC, LLC.

David is survived by his wife of forty-four years, Elaine Van Westen of Sheldon, IA; children, Wade (Dawn) Van Westen of Milwaukee, WI, and their children and grandchildren, Kaeli (Adam) Schutz and their children Oliver and Xavier Schutz, and Bryan and Eric Van Westen; Warren (Krystal) Van Westen of Sibley, IA, and his children, Jordan (Jessica) Van Westen of Dell Rapids, SD, and Joshua (Andrea) Van Westen and his children, Haylyn, Evelyn, and Raelyn all of Harrisburg, SD, Jaci Van Westen of Sibley, IA; Amy (Kevin) Lindberg and their children, Emmarie, and Makenna all of Des Moines, IA; and Ann (Jeremy) Rozeboom and their children, Hailey, Harlee, Hadley, Issabelle, Ashlynn, and Skylar all of Inwood, IA; Pam (Dale) Elkins and their children, TJ and Kyle all of Stockton, MO; and Daryl Heibult and his children, Tyler, Logan, and Marissa; one sister, Myrna Westen of St. Croix, WI; and niece, Megan Westen; nephew, Scott Fisk; and other extended family members.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Peter and Anna Van Westen; sister, Faith Ann Van Westen who died as a child; and a baby daughter in 1971.