Dr. Ralph De Haan

Dr. Ralph De Haan is the self-proclaimed tallest and grayest of the doctors at EyeCare Partners. Dr. De Haan is thankful to God for the many years of blessings, both in his career and personal life.

Dr. De Haan married his high school sweetheart LuAnn after three years of college in 1978. They both graduated from Calvin College in 1979, and Dr. De Haan began optometry school in 1981. Their first son, Matthew, was born in 1981, and Derek, son #2, was born in the last year of optometry school in 1984. His O.D. degree was awarded to Dr. De Haan in May of 1985. Later that year he joined Dr. Vander Leest in Pella.

In 1989 Ralph and LuAnn welcomed their daughter, Annaleyza, into the family. They now have 11 grandchildren, ranging in ages 1–18. Dr. De Haan feels fortunate and blessed to work with great partners and talented staff.

Dr. De Haan first went to Mexico on volunteer eye care trips in the early 1990s. In 1998 Dr. De Haan went to Kenya for the first time with his son Matthew. New relationships developed there and those prompted Dr. De Haan to return to Kenya many times, taking groups of volunteers including Matthew and Annaleyza. Thousands of pairs of glasses have been donated over the years for the trips to Kenya.

Currently, Dr. De Haan goes to Kenya every year during the last two weeks of January. Dr. De Haan is grateful to God, his many Pella-area patients, his supportive family, and some awesome Nebraska optometrists for helping make these mission trips successful.