Marcus "Mike" Junior Uithoven

Mike's service may be viewed using the church's website: www.arcluverne.org.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Client Community Services, Inc. – Hamilton House (Mike’s son’s, Glen, care facility in Worthington, MN) or the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne.

MARCUS "MIKE" JUNIOR UITHOVEN was born on June 7, 1930 to Jacob and Jennie (Ruiter) Uithoven. He spent his childhood on the family farm near Valley Springs, South Dakota where he lived with his parents, grandparents and his younger brother. He attended country school near their farm. His Grandpa would walk with him every morning to school and be there at the end of the day to walk home with him again. Mike’s family only spoke Dutch at home so it was quite the transition heading to school and learning English. During his school years and through adulthood, Mike loved to play sports. He excelled at basketball in high school and graduated with the Valley Springs class of 1948. Following school, he helped his family on their dairy and crop farm. It was during this time that he also started dating Viola Van Roekel, a childhood friend that he had known through their church. The two fell in love. Mike was drafted into the Army and was scheduled for service beginning in January of 1952. With that in mind, Mike knew that Viola was the one for him and while they were on their way to Sioux Falls for a date night, he looked over and asked her to marry him. The couple was married on December 18, 1951 at Valley Springs Reformed Church. Mike left for Army basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky in January. Mike then got his orders to be sent overseas, he was headed to Korea. He remembers arriving in Inchon, Korea by boat and marching to the front lines. Monsoon rains were relentless and they had to use their steel helmets to empty the water in their foxholes. After some time, he was stationed at T bone Hill where he guarded prisoners of war from the North and then was sent to White Horse Mountain to complete his service. He was honorably discharged on the 27th of July, 1953. Upon returning home, Mike and Viola made their home in Valley Springs for the next eight years were Mike farmed and worked at John Morrell in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The young family moved to a farm near Beaver Creek, Minnesota where they farmed for six years. As the times were hard with farming, Mike went to work driving truck for a couple of years for M & JR Hakes. In 1968, Mike took a job with Iowa Beef Producers in Luverne. They purchased a home on the edge of town that they lived in for over 50 years. At IBP, Mike worked as a painter for a number of years and then out in the cattle yards. Mike retired from IBP in 1996. During their retirement years, the couple enjoyed heading to Mesa, Arizona for winters.

In August 2017, Mike entered the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne. Viola preceded him in death on October 13, 2020. On Monday, November 29, 2021, Mike went to be with his Lord and family in heaven at the age of 91 years, five months and 22 days.

Mike was a member of the American Reformed Church in Luverne. The couple taught Sunday School and were church youth counselors in their younger years. Mike was an avid softball player and was a member of several teams. The couple remembers the good times that softball games and tournaments brought, being with friends that had the same ages of kids and always knowing what your plans were for Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day. He also enjoyed golfing, a good game of horseshoes, heading to the couple’s lake place in Lake Benton, Minnesota and traveling with Viola. Mike loved his family and he wants people to remember “be kind to one another and love each other”.

Mike is survived by his five children, Gary (Marcia) Uithoven of Las Cruces, New Mexico, Greg (Marilyn) Uithoven of Magnolia, Minnesota, Leanne (Jim) Zarling of Fairmont, Minnesota, Glen Uithoven of Worthington, Minnesota, and Lisa Uithoven of Omaha, Nebraska; 10 grandchildren, Heather (Jeff) Andre, Shannon Uithoven, Megan (Chad Sieddel) Uithoven, Marcus Uithoven (fiancé, Ashlee Placencio), Adam (Linda) Uithoven, Annie (Nick) Bork, Aric (Cassie) Uithoven, Kathryn (Billy) Moses, Tom Siebert and Zeven Sanders; 21 great-grandchildren; and other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife, Viola; two grandchildren, Amanda Uithoven and Shawn Uithoven; parents, Jacob and Jennie Uithoven; and his brother, Dick Uithoven.