John Leydens, 91, died July 29, 2020, in Urbandale. He was born Dec. 7, 1928, in Newton.
He was the son of Dutch immigrants, Conrad Leydens and Elizabeth “Bessie” DeJong, one of their nine children. He went to school in Newton, served in the U.S. Air Force after graduating from high school and attended the University of Iowa for three years, majoring in German. After he completed court reporting school, he worked as a court reporter in Polk County and Houston, Texas. In 1975, he moved to Fort Collins, where he worked as a court reporter until his retirement in 1988.
He is survived by two siblings, Nellie (Leydens) Riley, 94, of Clive and Frank Leydens, 89, of Aurora, Colo. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews; as well as great-nieces and nephews.
He will be laid to rest next to his parents in Pella, in a private burial ceremony with family in August.