John W. Mouw

JOHN WILLIAM MOUW was born on October 11, 1930 to William and Margaret (DeBoer) Mouw on the farm place between Leota and Chandler, Minnesota. He was raised on the farm and attended country school. At age 16, the family moved into Leota. John graduated from Edgerton Public High School in 1949. At the age of 19 years, John decided he wanted to start a business venture. He had a father who believed in his dreams and with a small loan from his Dad, John began Mouw’s Hatchery in 1950. On December 4, 1951 John married the love of his life, Lillian Lubben, at Ebenezer Christian Reformed Church in Leota. They spent the next 64 years together, raising four children, growing their business at the hatchery, and making the most of life. John attended a short course at the University of Minnesota for poultry disease. From the very beginning, John worked hard to stay a step ahead in his business and anticipated the needs of his customers and felt very blessed as his business grew over the years. John hatched over a million baby chicks annually. He was extremely grateful for the business God allowed him to build, but felt even more blessed by his children. They all worked together to make Mouw’s Hatchery a continued success. In 1988, his sons purchased part of the business. John still handled the poultry end of the business and started selling Garst Seed Corn which earned him Most Valuable Salesman in 1988 and 1989.

John and Lillian loved to travel and visited 49 of the 50 states. During retirement years, John and Lillian wintered for over 30 years in Arizona. Grandchildren and great-grandchildren were always their #1 priority. Throughout the years, John also enjoyed breeding and showing Purebred Arabian horses and fishing and golfing. He was a gifted singer, even recording his own CD’s.

John was a member of Ebenezer Christian Reformed Church in Leota. John was always civic minded. He served on the Leota Water Board, Leota Civic Board, and the Leota Christian School Board. He was a member of the American Egg Board. John was a passionate advocate for Citizens for Educational Freedom (CEF) which helped solicit funds for private schools.

John will be lovingly remembered by his children, Cheryl (Milo) Feikema of Leota, Bradford (Linda) Mouw of Leota, Lucinda (Dan) Blom of Fairview, Tennessee, and Wm. Michael (Lori) Mouw of Leota; nine grandchildren, Lindsay (Bryce) Rieck, Crystal (Boe) Kelley, Ashtin (Cory) Roebuck, Jena (Jim) Ver Steeg, Erin (Kenny) Gradert, Jared Mouw, Chloe Blom (fianc, Clete Philyaw), Britney (Heath) Van Wyhe and Brooke Mouw (fianc, Dominic Nibbelink); three great-grandchildren, Aiden and Logan Ver Steeg, and Quinn Rieck; and his siblings, LaVonne Hulstein of Leota, Gordon (Elaine) Mouw of Leota, and Patricia (Stan) Prins of Leota. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lillian; grandson, Erik Blom; parents, William and Margaret; and a brother-in-law, Gary Hulstein.

Memorials are preferred to an organization of donor’s choice that benefits children.