Arent John “A.J.” Ravenhorst, 90, of Walker, and formerly of Hackensack and Clarks Grove, died Monday, Oct. 24, 2011, at May Creek Memory Care Cottages in Walker.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Calvary Church in Walker. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Dennis Funeral Home in Walker and one hour before the service at the church. Burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery in Walker after the service. His grandchildren will be his pallbearers.

A.J. was born May 30, 1921, in Pease, to Arent and Sietsche (Molenaar) Ravenhorst, who had immigrated to the United States from the Netherlands in 1920. After living for a few years on a farm near Pease, his parents and other relatives moved to Hollandale where they continued to farm.

He attended country schools in the Hollandale area through eighth grade, then left to work on the family farm. As a teenager, he contracted rheumatic fever and lived with heart damage for most of his life until, at age 81 and 85, he underwent two successful heart surgeries at the Mayo Clinic.

In 1941, A.J. met LouElla Agnes Nelson of Clarks Grove on a blind date. They were married March 5, 1943, in Clarks Grove and farmed in the Hollandale area until crop failures forced them to look at other options.

In 1946, he began a concrete products manufacturing business with his brothers-in-law, Lyman and John Nelson, producing concrete block, silo staves and drain tile. In 1949, John Nelson died at age 29 of a heart attack and a few years later, Lyman left the business. John and Lou continued to run Ravenhorst Concrete Products successfully through the 1980s. Though changed, their family business continues today as Insul Seal Insulated PVC Co. in Racine and Walker Pipe and Supply in Walker.

In 1971, the couple moved to Baby Lake near Hackensack, next to Sunset Bay Camp, a resort run by their daughter and family. In 1997, they moved to Walker and in 2005 to May Creek Senior Living Campus.

In Walker, he was a member of Calvary Church. In Hackensack, he was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and served on the church council. He also was a member of the Hollandale Reformed Church and served on Consistory (council) for about 20 years, taught Sunday School and religious instruction classes

He ran successful businesses for more than 40 years, despite limited educational opportunities, and was happiest when tackling a business challenge. He enjoyed fishing, deer hunting and traveling, and was very knowledgeable about cars. He was the “go-to” guy for car advice, especially when a grandchild needed a good used car at a low price. He loved babies, little kids and animals, and had a soft spot for dogs, especially dachshunds. He freely shared his Christian faith and frequently spoke out about the sanctity of life.

He was a devoted husband and father who lived out his Christian faith in his family, business, church and community life. He will be long remembered for his generosity and kindness to family, friends, employees and total strangers.

He is survived by his three children: Gail DeBoer of Hackensack, Larry (Laurie) of Racine and Greg (Carol) of Walker; seven grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; one brother, Gerrit (Evelyn) of Hollandale; one sister, Alice DeBoer, also of Hollandale; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives in the United States and the Netherlands.

He was preceded in death by his parents; by LouElla, his wife of 62 years; sister, Gertrude Peak; brothers-in-law: Lyman and John Nelson, Douglas Peak and Harko DeBoer; and sisters-in-law: Effie Nelson and Virginia Peckacheck.

The Dennis Funeral Home of Walker handled arrangements.