Arie De Jong, 88; Patriarch of N. County Dairy Family, Dies

Arie De Jong, the 88-year-old patriarch of a family of dairy farmers and president of Hollandia Dairy, died Friday at his home in Escondido.

De Jong, the oldest of 18 children, came to the United States in 1949 from the Netherlands with his wife, Maartge, and 10 children.

His family worked in different dairies until they raised enough money to open Hollandia Dairy in 1950.

The dairy employs 200 people, and in an area of 125 acres produces 60,000 gallons of milk a day from about 1,000 cows.

De Jong came from a long tradition of dairy farmers when he was born May 5, 1901, and, although he had only had six years of formal schooling, he became a prominent and respected member of the Escondido community.

“He did not have book learning, but he had other kinds of learning,” said Klaas Dehaan, a controller at the dairy who had known De Jong since 1958. “He was a good man. He was very optimistic.”

De Jong enjoyed taking care of the cows in the dairy more than he enjoyed performing the administrative duties of his position as president, Dehaan said.

During World War II, De Jong opposed the German occupation of the Netherlands and “he made sure that the family and the people around him had plenty to eat,” said Tom De Jong, 63, De Jong’s oldest son. “He came to America because he loved this country, and it was a better opportunity.”

De Jong is survived by his wife, seven sons, three daughters, 54 grandchildren and 36 great-grandchildren.