Arlen “Dutch” Gary Te Slaa
May 15, 1947 ~ April 18, 2025
Arlen “Dutch” G. Te Slaa, 77, of Sioux Falls, died peacefully Friday, April 18, 2025, surrounded by his family, at the Dougherty Hospice Home in Sioux Falls.
A Graduation of Life will be 11am, Saturday, May 3, 2025, at Zion Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls, with family visitation beginning at 9am. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Zion Lutheran Foundation.
Dutch’s Graduation of Life may be viewed live by clicking HERE.
Arlen “Dutch” Gary Te Slaa was the fifth child born to Gerrit and Gertrude (Van Marel) Te Slaa at Hull, IA, on May 15, 1947. He grew up on the family farm southeast of Hull and attended elementary school in a one-room schoolhouse, Capel # 4, located about 1.5 miles from the farm. From the seventh grade on, he attended school in Sioux Center, IA. Arlen graduated from high school in May of 1965. After not finding anything of interest at Northwestern College, he started his first job in the sales field, selling Wear-Ever cookware, in June of 1966. He worked with Wear-Ever for 11 years. Arlen continued in the sales profession until his retirement on May 31, 2021. It was in these early days of his selling career that he was given the nickname of “Dutch”.
On April 27, 1968, Dutch married the love of his life, Carol Diane Horton. This union was blessed by three children: Eric, Katrina, and Andrew. Eric married Kattie Lail, and two boys, Miloh and Beck, were added to the family. Katrina married Scott Anderson and gave them their first grandchild, Jake. Andrew married Megan Lozano and their only granddaughter, Nina, resulted from that union. In the 56 years since their marriage, nothing has given them more pride and satisfaction than their children and grandchildren.
In the working years after Wear-Ever, Dutch spent 22 years in the automobile business. He started and built a satellite television company, and he worked as a Territorial Manager for the National Federation of Independent Business. The position that gave him the most satisfaction was a ministry he helped start called Main Street Living. He was an active member of Zion Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls and participated in many of their programs throughout the years.
Dutch will be deeply missed by his wife, Carol; son, Eric (Kattie) Te Slaa, Sioux Falls, daughter, Katrina (Scott) Anderson, Sioux Falls, and son, Andrew (Megan) Te Slaa, Ft. Collins, CO; four grandchildren, Miloh and Beck Te Slaa, Jacob Anderson, and Nina Te Slaa; he was also grateful for his brothers, Cleo, Hull IA, and Norm (Cathy), Lakewood, CO; sisters, Dee (Clarence) Gorter, Sioux Falls, SD, and Sharon (Marv) Winkel, George, IA; brothers-in-law, Bruce Horton, Klamath Falls, OR, Terry (Jill) Horton, Canton, SD, and Kip Horton; sister in law, Jody (Terry) Leibel, Pierre, SD; and dozens of nieces and nephews from all over the United States, many who address him as “Uncle Dutch”.
Dutch was preceded in death by his parents, Gerrit and Gertrude Te Slaa; his brother and wife, Howard and Gertrude Te Slaa; and a sister-in-law, Joyce Te Slaa. his mother-in-law, Donna Drey, and fathers-in-law, Kenneth Drey and Howard Horton.
“For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so, we will be with the Lord forever.” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).
Dutch accomplished much in his life which honored God and blessed many. In one profound way, God used Arlen’s talents, knowledge, and ability to share the Gospel to thousands, by envisioning and implementing Main Street Living in the Upper Midwest. I pray that this ministry continues and prospers; it will be another testament of God’s will and desire that all hear his holy Word and be redeemed by way of his Son, our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.
Dutch was the very first person I worked with at Mobility Sales back in 2004. We spent 10+ years together. He was one of the kindest and hardest working guys I knew. He truly had a genuine desire to make people’s lives better. He will be missed.
Dutch was a remarkable person who left a great and lasting impression to all he came in contact with. It was my great honor to have Dutch work for me and later be a partner in several business opportunities. I was in process of trying to see him and visit him one last time. He will be greatly missed.
Praise be to God for the great Gospel ministry outreach (and in-reach) provided by the MAIN STREET LIVING MEDIA MINISTRY that was initiated by Dutch and others in the Sioux Falls area – and is now reaching out world-wide through the internet!