Marlin H. Oosterhuis

Hospers, Iowa

Marlin H. Oosterhuis, 88, of Hospers, passed away on Friday, May 1, 2026, at Sanford Sheldon Medical Center. His funeral service will be 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Sheldon with Rev. Christopher Martin, officiating.

To view Marlin's service via livestream, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/@StPaulSheldon/streams

Burial with military honors will be at East Lawn Cemetery in Sheldon.

Visitation with family present will be from 9:30 to 10:15 A.M. on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Sheldon.

Memorials may be directed to: St. Paul Lutheran Church or Hospers Fire Department Building Fund.

Arrangements are under the care of the Vander Ploeg Funeral Home in Sheldon.

IN LOVING MEMORY OF

MARLIN H. OOSTERHUIS

BORN

December 12, 1937

Rural Hospers, Iowa

PASSED AWAY

May 1, 2026

Sheldon, Iowa

FUNERAL SERVICE

10:30 A.M. Saturday, May 9, 2026

St. Paul Lutheran Church; Sheldon, Iowa

Rev. Christopher Martin - Officiating

CONGREGATIONAL HYMNS

“Blessed Assurance”

“On Eagle’s Wings”

Organist: Barb Burns

CASKET BEARERS

Liz Thompson 

Davis Thompson

Sarah Thompson

Rachel Duhn

Ben Duhn 

Andrea Duhn

Ryan Oosterhuis 

Elena Oosterhuis

FINAL RESTING PLACE

East Lawn Cemetery

Sheldon, Iowa

Military Honors Presented By:

McGlothlen-Cowie Post of the Sheldon American Legion.

Memorials may be directed to:

St. Paul Lutheran Church or Hospers Fire Department Building Fund.

After today’s graveside service, relatives, and friends are invited

to join the family for lunch in the fellowship hall of the church.

Arrangements are under the care of the

Vander Ploeg Funeral Home, Sheldon, Iowa.

Remembering Marlin H. Oosterhuis

December 12, 1937 – May 1, 2026

Marlin H. Oosterhuis, a man who truly loved the land he called home, passed away on May 1, 2026 at the Sanford Sheldon Medical Center. Born on the family farm east of Hospers on December 12, 1937, and baptized at Baker Methodist Church, Marlin was the son of Frank and Coba Oosterhuis. Marlin attended Iowa State College (currently ISU) 1956-1958 where he played basketball and completed a 2-year collegiate program in Farm Operation. Marlin was in the US Army 1960-1962 where he served as an artillery surveyor and played basketball.

On March 22, 1964, Marlin married Arlyce Christopherson in Worthington, MN. The two made a life together back on that same farm east of Hospers, eventually taking over and expanding the operation after Frank and Coba retired. Together, they raised four children—Marty, Kris, Jim, and Margaret—teaching them the value of hard work, love for the Lord and the appreciation of God’s earth from the view of an airplane.

Marlin wasn't just a flying farmer; he was a neighbor who showed up. He served on boards including the Farmers Cooperative Elevator in Sheldon and the Federal Land Bank. In 1981, he stepped into his father’s shoes on the Board of Directors for the American State Bank, becoming the third generation of his family to serve. He worked with the O’Brien Soil Conservation District and earned the title of Outstanding Soil Commissioner. In 1984, he was named a Master Farmer by Wallace’s Farmer—an honor that reflects the pursuit of excellence in farming. A milestone for the Oosterhuis family was in 2008 when they achieved recognition as a Century Farm.

Marlin was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Sheldon. He enjoyed farming, ISU basketball, flying his RV8, being with family, singing in choir and visiting with fellow farmers. He leaves to cherish his memory, his wife, Arlyce of Hospers, IA; and their 4 children, Martin and wife Ann Stevens Oosterhuis of Blacksburg, VA; Kris and husband Tim Thompson of East Gull Lake, MN; Jim Oosterhuis of Hospers, IA and Margaret Oosterhuis of Hospers, IA; eight grandchildren, Ryan and Elena Oosterhuis; Liz (Tyler) Johnson, Davis (Alyssa) Thompson and Sarah Thompson; Rachel, Ben and Andrea Duhn; four great-grandchildren, Charlotte and Lila Thompson; Arley and Jace Johnson. Sister, Betty Kahl of Kansas City, MO; other relatives and friends. Marlin was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Coba Oosterhuis.

Marlin will be missed for his steady presence, his wealth of knowledge, and the quiet pride he took in his family and his crops. He leaves behind a legacy as solid as the Iowa soil he spent his life tending