Jan Derk Stegeman was born on 26 July 1875 in Dedemsvaart, the son of religious education teacher Frederik Stegeman and Janna Harmina te Winkel. He attended the municipal gymnasium in Doetinchem and subsequently studied for a year at the Municipal University of Amsterdam, followed by several years at the University of Utrecht.
After Stegeman was admitted to the gospel ministry in the Dutch Reformed Church (Nederlandse Hervormde Kerk) by the provincial church board of Friesland in May 1899, he was ordained on 3 September of that same year as minister of the Reformed parish of Nieuw Amsterdam by the Reverend J.C. van Hoeve, minister in Schoonebeek.
Aalten
On 24 August 1899, Jan Derk Stegeman married Hendrika van Dorp (born in Zoetermeer, 24-10-1873) in The Hague. Together they had six children. In 1913, he moved to Aalten as a minister for the Reformed parish. From 1920 onwards, he dedicated himself to the Reformed school, serving as chairman of the board from 1920 to 1946. He lived in the Reformed rectory on Whemerstraat.
The Reverend Stegeman was known as a highly witty and striking personality. He enjoyed an excellent relationship with his colleagues, who affectionately nicknamed him ‘the bishop’. In September 1929, he celebrated his 30th anniversary in office, and in 1964 his 65th anniversary—just a year before he turned 90! In 1955, the Reformed school on Varsseveldsestraatweg was named after him: the ‘Ds. Stegemanschool‘.
Retirement
Following his retirement (emeritaat), Stegeman remained active in many fields, including conducting pastoral visits to the elderly, supporting the temperance movement, and nursing the sick. He also frequently filled pulpits as a guest preacher. For many years, he was the treasurer of the classical missionary society within the Zutphen classis, secretary of the board of the Juliana School, a board member of the Breukelaar School, and a board member of the Aalten branch of the Netherlands Bible Society.
Furthermore, Stegeman was a highly active member of the editorial board of the weekly magazine De Wachter. He also authored the books Aan mijne gemeente (“To My Congregation”, published by Gebr. De Boer, 1938) and Van rijke dingen (“Of Rich Things”, published by De Graafschap, 1941).
In 1958, the government recognised the Reverend Stegeman’s services by appointing him a Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau.
The Reverend Stegeman passed away on 21 February 1970 at the age of 94 and is buried at Berkenhove Cemetery.
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