Bastian Scholten went to Heaven on the morning of July 1, 2017, ten days shy of his 92nd birthday, at Lakeside Gardens on Wiser Lake.
Born on July 11, 1925 in Edgerton, Minnesota, to Hein and Elizabeth (DeKoekKoek) Scholten, Bas moved to Whatcom County with his parents and siblings Gertrude (Heeringa), John, Evert and Bill in 1936. He graduated from Lynden High School prior to serving in the U.S. Army in Europe during World War II. Bas served in a tank as part of a tank destroyer unit. He received a Purple Heart for shrapnel injuries he sustained following the Battle for the Bridge of Remagen.
He married Delores (Tillema, RIP 2010) in 1949, and together they had five sons, Bruce, John, Loren, Roland and Glen. During this time, they began dairy farming their 40 acres near Everson. Several years after a divorce, in 1967 Bas married Judy (Holz) and they had sons David (RIP 2015) and Doug.
He enjoyed being part of the Washington State Dairy Federation as well as the Whatcom Conservation District, both of which worked to better the dairy industry and the environment. Bas and Judy loved traveling to watch district and state high school basketball tournaments, and in retirement they enjoyed an extended trip to Europe. Bas and his brothers frequently attended the Everson Auction, and coffee time with their wives after church was a near-weekly occasion.
Bas was preceded in death by his parents; all of his siblings; wives Delores and Judy; and son David.
He is survived by sisters-in-law Maggie (John) and Shirley (Bill); sons and daughters-in-law Bruce and Martha, John and Lynn, Loren and Patty, Roland and Patti, Glen and Shirley, and Doug and Shannon; nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family expresses sincere appreciation and gratitude to Lakeside Gardens for their family environment and loving care.
Please join the family for a time of visitation from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 13, in Gillies Funeral Home. A graveside service is at 1 p.m. Friday, July 14, in Monumenta Cemetery. A memorial service is at 2 p.m. Friday in First Christian Reformed Church, 1010 Front St., Lynden, followed by light refreshments.
You are invited to share your condolences and memories in the online guestbook at www.gilliesfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements are entrusted to Gillies Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Lynden.
