Marynes 'Maryn' J Gleysteen

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.