Obituary Listing

Aug 6, 2019

Vincent Lensing, age 90, of Decorah, Iowa, died peacefully at Comfort House in Pella, Iowa, on Tuesday, August 6, 2019, after a short battle with cancer.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, August 24, 2019, at St. Benedict Catholic Church in Decorah, Iowa, with the Reverend Donald Hertges presiding over the celebration of life.  ...

Jul 24, 2019

James Peter Dahm was born September 29, 1935, to Jacob and Effie (Stursma) Dahm, in Peoria, Iowa.

Jim attended Peoria Christian Grade School and graduated from Pella Christian High School. He went on to attend Central College, graduating in 1957, and graduated from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry in 1966.

On July 29,...

Jul 24, 2019

Lawrence William Van Zante was born January 9, 1926, to Teunis W. and Sarah (Lautenbach) Van Zante, at home near Howell Station. He grew up on the farm and enjoyed farming and working in the shop.

Lawrence attended Flagler School and later graduated from Pella High School.

He met Margaret De Cook uptown on the...

Jul 14, 2019

Marilyn Marcia Slagle was born September 11, 1934, to Elmer and Bessie (Collins) Wampler, in North Lagro, Indiana.

On January 21, 1953, she was united in marriage to Everett Slagle in Lincolnville, Indiana. To this union they were blessed with three children: Steve, Deb and Cindy.

Marilyn worked for Pella Corp. for 20 years before...

Jul 13, 2019

Dorothy Jean Van Doorn was born March 4, 1938, in Oskaloosa, Iowa. She was one of twelve children born to John and Katie (Slycord) Petersma.

She attended school through the eighth grade in Newton, and lived most of her life in the Pella and New Sharon areas. On September 20, 1957, Dorothy was united in marriage to...

Jul 13, 2019

Forrest David Roorda was born July 4, 1925, to Epke Gerrit and Emma Marie (Boot) Roorda, in Marion County, Iowa.

Forrest was raised in the Otley area where he attended school through the eighth grade. On December 16, 1948, he was united in marriage to Gerdena Van Hemert, at her mother's home.  Forrest and Gerdena were members...

Jul 12, 2019

Martin Donkersloot III was born August 18, 1956, in Passaic, New Jersey, to Martin and June (Walsh) Donkersloot.  Martin "Marty" was baptized at the Bethel Reformed Church in Passaic.

Marty attended school in Woodbridge, New Jersey, and in 1978, as an adult, moved to the North Jersey Developmental Center in Woodbridge.

When his parents moved...

Jul 12, 2019

Donald Eugene Jack was born February 18, 1928 to William and Hazel (Icenbice) Jack in Deep River, Iowa. We all appreciated his Irish humor! He was a giver and had a nice, calm spirit. When Don was age 14 he professed in a mission by Jelto Rewerts and Tom Patterson in Ladora, Iowa.

On September 26, 1949...

Jul 6, 2019

Marjorie Florence Gatton Blom was born on May 9, 1937, to Kelly and Beulah (Fuller) Gatton at her family's farm home near Rose Hill, Iowa.  She received her early education in the Lacey schools, and graduated from the Lacey High School. She then attended Drake University and graduated from the Iowa Methodist School of Nursing as a registered nurse....

Jul 4, 2019

Doris Jean Boer was born on July 9, 1950, to Richard and Annette (Olthoff) Kooy in Cicero, Illinois. She entered into glory on July 4, 2019, in Pella, Iowa, at age 68, after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

Dori and her husband, Paul, met at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and were married on May...

Jul 4, 2019

David H. Melhus passed away peacefully, surrounded by family on Thursday, July 4, 2019, in Des Moines, Iowa.  In his final moments, Dave battled a heart condition to give his family a final gift: an opportunity to say goodbye.

Dave was born in Clarion, Iowa to Patricia Marie (Peterson) and Lawrence Edward Melhus.  He was close with...

Jul 3, 2019

Lisa Renee Jansen was born August 14, 1967, to Lloyd and Arlene (Beyer) Brand.  She passed away at the Comfort House of Pella on July 3, 2019.

Lisa grew up in the Sully community and graduated from Lynnville-Sully High School with the class of 1985. She then attended the American Institute of Business in Des Moines.  Later,...

Jul 2, 2019

Sarah M. Davis was born August 18, 1937, to Harvey and Ethel (Taylor) Davis in Pella at her parents' home, which was a railroad car. She was a foster child who grew up in the Pella and Ottumwa areas. At age ten, she went to live with Henry and Tena Van Rees and was later adopted by them. Sarah...

Jul 1, 2019

Lester Laverman was born April 5, 1934, near Sully. He always joked that it was a dry year and he wasn't very big.  His parents, Katie (Fopma)) and John Laverman, had three other children: Betty (Nikkel), Wilford Laverman, and Charlene (Vander Hart). They lived in the vicinity of Sully, Iowa.

As a boy, Lester loved sneaking off...

Jun 26, 2019

Earl Roy Duinink was born at his family farm home near Reasnor, Iowa, on January 20, 1947. He was the seventh and youngest child of Leonard and Henrietta (Beyer) Duinink.

He graduated from the eighth grade at Monroe Community Schools in 1961. Shortly after that he began working as a farm hand for several area farmers. Then...

Jun 25, 2019

Jaybe Cornelius Steenhoek was born March 23, 1926, to Simon and Wilhelmina "Winnie" (Mol) Steenhoek, in Pella.  He passed away on June 25, 2019, at Northern Mahaska Specialty Care in Oskaloosa.

Jaybe attended Flint Ridge Country School. On March 2, 1946, he was united in marriage to Ada De Haan in Pella. They shared the next 71...

Jun 23, 2019

Gary Lee Vander Wilt was born October 14, 1945, to Floyd and Luella (Guerts) Vander Wilt. He was united in marriage to Delores Jansen on December 5, 1969, at the First Reformed Church in Sully. To this union four children were born: Shawna, Robin, Alison and Trevor. Gary passed peacefully June 23, 2019, at the Comfort House in Pella,...

Jun 22, 2019

Rhonda Rae Ross, of Pella, Iowa, passed away on June 22, 2019, at the age of 62. Rhonda was born to Bill and Alberta Ryerson on April 14, 1957, in Knoxville, Iowa. She grew up as the youngest of two children and attended Knoxville High School.

Rhonda married Steven VandeKraats and the couple had two children during...

Jun 20, 2019

Logan Stanley Andeweg was born on April 25, 1933, to LeRoy and Wilma (Van Gorp) Andeweg in Pella, Iowa.  He attended school in Pella and graduated from Central College in 1955, with a Business major.  He was awarded The Wall Street Journal Student Achievement Award.  While there, he met his future wife, Jennette Noordsy, who was the love of...

Jun 17, 2019

Junella Mae Verros was born on January 3, 1926, to Bert and Hilda (De Cook) Van Haaften, at the family farm near Pella, Iowa.  She passed away Monday, June 17, 2019, at Zuid Holland-The Cottages in Pella, Iowa, at the age of ninety-three.

As a young girl, she and her siblings walked to Black Oak Center School,...