Maryn 'Dutch' Gleysteen
Maryn J. 'Dutch' Gleysteen,
72, former Newton resident, died Wednesday (June 18, 2008) at Golden Age Living
Center in Marion after a long illness. He was born June 10, 1936, in Amsterdam,
The Netherlands, to Jan Sr. and Gerritje Nowee Gleysteen. His father was a
well-known Mennonite bookseller and peace advocate. His parents preceded him in
death. He married Evelyn Schmidt in April 1964, and she preceded him in death
on March 2, 2002. Maryn was skilled in construction and finish carpentry,
having receiving civil engineering training in Europe, where he did volunteer
construction work under the World Council of Churches in Austria for a period
in the 1950s. He immigrated to the United States in 1960, sponsored by the late
Paul Bender of Hesston. He first worked on construction of Erb Hall at Hesston
College, then did cabinet work at Schowalter Villa in Hesston. Later, he worked
on his own, subcontracting finish carpentry. He loved camping and served as a
leader of the Boy Scouts. As a child in Amsterdam, he suffered severe
malnutrition due to the privations imposed on the Dutch during the German
occupation of The Netherlands in World War II. Consequently, he already
experienced health problems in the 1960s and, in 1985, was granted disability
benefits. A major misfortune struck his family when their house in Newton was
destroyed by fire during extremely cold weather in early 1979. Despite physical
handicaps, he built a new house on the site, with assistance from a Sunday
school class at First Mennonite Church of Newton, where he was a member.
Survivors include sons, Edward and Anne Gleysteen of Salina, and Jack and
Danella Schmidt of Newton; sisters, Gerri Gleysteen of Santpoort, Holland, and
Erica Gleysteen of Altenstadt, France; brother, Jan and Barb Gleysteen of
Goshen, Ind.; two nieces and nephews; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
He also was preceded in death by a daughter, Deborah Bisterfeldt. Visitation
will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Petersen Funeral Home in Newton. Funeral
service will be at 10 a.m. Monday at First Mennonite Church, with Pastors Val
Krehbiel and Joan Boyer officiating. Burial will be at Meridian Township
Cemetery in Hesston. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice Care of
Kansas or First Mennonite Church in care of the funeral home.
