Cornie Van Wyngarden

             Cornie Van Wyngarden was born on January 2, 1922, on the family farm in the Lower Grove area. He was the second of seven children born to his parents Walter and Sadie (Stursma) Van Wyngarden.

            As a child, he attended Peoria CRC and graduated from Peoria Christian Grade School. He didn’t attend high school because he was needed on the farm. Cornie saw many changes in the farming industry. He began farming with horses and later in life was fascinated with the technology and auto steer equipment. He had a love for raising black cattle that was passed on to his son and grandsons. Cornie loved playing softball with brothers and teammates at the Lower Grove ball diamond.

            On June 8, 1944, he married Erma Vander Hart, whom he had met in grade school/church. They were married at the bride’s parents’ home in rural Pella on a muddy, muddy day. They began their married life on the farm adjacent to where Cornie was raised.

            For years he farmed with his brother Henry. He raised hogs, Black Angus cattle, and allowed Erma to raise chickens. While farming, he learned the construction and electric trades by building and wiring his own barns and corn cribs. He was also the neighborhood welder. His children remember mixing many, many batches of concrete with their Dad.

            In 1976, Cornie and Erma built a new house two miles south of the home place. Cornie built the house with help from neighbors and friends. After he semi-retired from farming, he started Van’s Electrical Wiring, and whenever he worked with his brother Don, they called themselves “Quabus Construction”. Later, Cornie turned the business over to his son John.

            In his mid-40’s, Cornie had a life changing encounter with Jesus Christ while doing field work. His heart was filled with a passion to reach the lost. He got involved with the Navigators and started doing evangelistic work in area towns. Cornie had a real heart for evangelism and the Word of God. He and his family started attending Lower Grove Community Church in 1972.

            Later, Cornie felt called to take correspondence courses with Moody Bible College with the intent of becoming a pastor.  He received his pastoral certificate from the Association of Fundamental Ministers and Churches and was ordained on March 23, 1979. He became the pastor of Lower Grove Community Church in 1980 and served there for over 30 years.

            Some of the other activities that Cornie enjoyed include singing in the Peoria male chorus, serving on the Pella Cooperative Electric Association Board, and serving with the Gideons. For a time, Cornie and Erma were directors of the Liberty House in Pella, a halfway house for troubled women. Additionally, Cornie served on the Freedom Bible Camp Board, and spent countless hours constructing buildings and teaching Bible classes at Win-Some Bible Camp.

            Family was of great significance to Cornie. God blessed Cornie and Erma with almost 74 years of marriage, six children, eighteen grandchildren, thirty-six great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. He is survived by his wife, Erma, along with the following family members:

Donna and Don VerMeer, Longmont, Colorado

            Carol and Charlie Kunkel, Longmont, Colorado

                        Madison, Mason

            Laura and David Loomis, Loveland, Colorado

                        Jake, Eli, Ian

            Angie Carman, Loveland, Colorado

                        Emma, Elli, Otto

            Brad VerMeer, Los Angeles, California

Sandy and Ken Van Wyk, Byron Center, Michigan

            Joel and Julie Van Wyk, Holland, Michigan

                        Tyler, Anneka, Ryanne

            Becci and John Timmer, Byron Center, Michigan

                        Isaac, Ethan, Ava

            Jon and Rachel Van Wyk, Afton, Minnesota

                        Ben, Charlie, Elijah

Nancy (Pete) Westerkamp, Pella, Iowa

            Brent and Christine Westerkamp, Pella, Iowa

                        Corbin, Claire, Boede, Breken

            Ryan Westerkamp, Ankeny, Iowa

            Barry and Sara Westerkamp, Pella, Iowa

                        Mallory, Macy

Warren and Bonnie (VanWoerkom) Van Wyngarden, New Sharon, Iowa

            Cory and Sara Van Wyngarden, Clive, Iowa

                        Roan, Ella, Emme

            Will and Allison Van Wyngarden, Pella, Iowa

                        Kaden, Kirby, Kynlee

            Mark and Jessica Van Wyngarden, Pella, Iowa

                        Ben, Brady, Beau

            Alex and Jentri Van Wyngarden, Pella, Iowa

                        Ada, Aaron, Alyza, Alivia

Maxine and Rich Rozendaal, Pella, Iowa

            David Rozendaal, Lynnville, Iowa

            Kelli Rozendaal, Pella, Iowa

John and Sharon (Terlouw) Van Wyngarden, New Sharon, Iowa

            Faith Van Wyngarden, Des Moines, Iowa

            Joy Van Wyngarden, New Sharon, Iowa

            On May 8, 2018, Cornie was at the Pella Regional Health Center when he went home to be with Jesus at the age of 96 years. Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, his children, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, his brother, Jerry and wife Betty Van Wyngarden of Holland, MI, his sister Alda and husband Nundi Dyal-Chand of Beaumont, CA, and his sister-in-law Minnie (Henry) Van Wyngarden of Pella, IA. He was preceded in death by his parents Walter and Sadie, his parents-in-law John and Susie Vander Hart, his sister Cornelia Bandstra and husband Gerrit, his sister Tina Mae Bandstra and husband James, his brother Henry, his brother Don and wife Helen, his son-in-law Pete Westerkamp, his great-grandson Jordan Loomis, and his brother-in-law and sister-in-law Fred and Goldie De Nooy.

From the family:

Our Dad was a humble person and would not want us to boast about any of his accomplishments, because he believed that anything he was able to accomplish was due to the goodness and faithfulness of his Lord Jesus Christ. Although he was raised in the church his entire life, he said he was not a saved man until his mid-40’s. It was at that point he realized he needed to repent of his sins and personally receive Jesus Christ as his Savior (Acts 2:38, Luke 13:3, Rom. 10:9). Most importantly, he would want you to do the same, so that you would also have assurance of your salvation.

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