Obituary for Paul Stephen DeJong

Paul Stephen De Jong passed away peacefully at Green Hills Health Care Center in Ames, Iowa, on April 15, 2025. 

Paul was born on October 23, 1934, to Carolyn Condra and Peter De Jong in Grand Forks, North Dakota. His father was a Boy Scout Executive, which led the family to live in various places including Grand Forks, North Dakota, Pueblo and Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Mason City, Iowa. After graduating from Mason City High School, he added Culver City, California, Ames and Clear Lake, Iowa, and St. Louis, Missouri, to his list of “hometowns.”

Paul first met his future traveling partner and wife, July Olson, when his family moved to Mason City as he was entering 9th grade. They were married in June 1960 at the Olson family home in Mason City, Iowa.

He joined the Army after high school and was stationed at stateside bases in California and Wisconsin.  One of his primary responsibilities was calculating trajectories of munitions that were fired over the Great Lakes from Camp Haven.

Professionally, Paul started at Ames Lab and then became a Professor of Engineering teaching Graphics and Design at Iowa State University after getting his Mechanical Engineering degree in 1965.  He enjoyed teaching incoming freshman in Marston Hall until his retirement in 1999.  During his tenure, he also co-authored and illustrated many engineering graphic textbooks, was an active member of the National Society of Professional Engineers, attended and presented at many of the annual American Society for Engineering Education conferences, and was proud of a patent he was awarded.

Paul had a great sense of humor and was a self-taught cartoonist.  He contributed to his department’s weekly memos with topical illustrations, created posters for retirements and grandchildren’s birthdays, and was the animator for the first electronic Iowa State Jack Trice Field scoreboard that was installed in the 1980’s.  His original, witty cartoons and animations entertained Cyclone football fans for many years. 

Paul was known for his extensive collection of slide rules and drawing sets, having rare and sought after designs.  His son and his son-in-law inherited 6-foot teaching slide rules.  They are not used for calculations anymore, but they are enjoyed as conversation pieces. 

He found great joy in traveling with his family, ensuring his kids saw the continental United States through windows of a Buick station wagon. Every trip was a journey of the destination, and the road traveled.  If there was a conference on the east coast, it would include Canada on the way there, then Florida and Texas on the way home. 

Paul was a cherished husband to Judy, a devoted and loving father to Deidre (Mark) Kroll of Mexico, Missouri, and Tollif De Jong of West Des Moines, Iowa, and a beloved Boppa to Sophia Kroll, Emma De Jong, Malini De Jong, and Kira De Jong.

Paul was preceded in death by his wife, parents, brother and sister.

A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date.