Cornelius James "Cornie" Van Hal was born January 12, 1934, to Jacob and Dena (Spoelstra) Van Hal, on the family farm west of Sully, where he grew up.  He received his education at Sully Christian Grade School and graduated from Sully High School in 1952.

Cornie worked at the Sully Coop Creamery until he entered the U.S. Army from September 1955 to 1957 and continued his military commitment in the National Guard until 1963. He was a member of the American Legion Post 89.

Cornie was baptized and made profession of faith at the Sully Christian Reformed Church and was a current member of Calvary Church.

Cornie met Marinella Hoksbergen in August 1955 and was married in October 18, 1957, at the Second  Christian Reformed Church in Pella. They were blessed with three children: Carla, Arvin and Roger.

He worked at Vermeer Manufacturing until 1963, then they started farming by Leighton on the Hoksbergen family farm, where he was a dairy farmer for 29 years. Cornie retired in 1998 when they moved to Pella. He enjoyed driving cars for various car dealers and going to coffee with the guys at McDonalds.

In November 2006, Cornie suffered a stroke and had to relearn everyday things again. He continued to do well until he fell in 2022 and couldn't be taken care of by Marinella. He then entered Northern Mahaska Care Center in Oskaloosa.

He was preceded in death by his parents Jacob and Dena Van Hal, parents-in-law Peter and Henrietta Hoksbergen, sisters Sophia and Don Bennink, Evelyn and  Jim Vanden Oever, Jennie and Helene Van Hal; brothers Geurt, Gerrit, Raymond and Jerry Van Hal, brothers-in-law Glenn Summers, and Dale Van Genderen, and sister-in-law Dorothy Hoksbergen.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife Marinella of 67 years, their children and families:

Carla and Byron Vander Molen of Lynnville, Iowa

Jessica Vander Molen of Pella, Iowa

Janelle and Justin Geiger of Williamsburg, Iowa

Rhys, and baby due February

Arvin and Brenda Van Hal of Pella, Iowa

Amy and Brady Davidson of Merriam, Kansas

Emily and Trevor Ndungu of Jonestown, Texas

Taji, Enzi

Roger and Lanai Van Hal of Leighton, Iowa

Adam and Shayla Van Hal of Bloomington, Indiana

David and Haley Van Hal of Pella, Iowa

Katelyn, Adalyn

Joshua Van Hal of Sully, Iowa

Cornie is also survived by his siblings: Darlene Summers of West Des Moines, Iowa, and Nancy (Carl) Jensen of Golden, Colorado; sisters-in-law Carolyn Van Hal of Homer Glen, Illinois, Shirley, Ruth, and Darlene Van Hal all of Pella, Betty Van Genderen and special friend Gerald Nunnikhoven of Pella, and brother-in-law Robert Hoksbergen of Grundy Center.

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