Carrie Van Walbeek

Carrie Kay Van Walbeek was born as Gerritje Verhoef on January 8, 1932, as the youngest of 8 children to Willem III and Jannetje (van der Lee) Verhoef, in Baambrugge, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Carrie grew up on a dairy farm and attended the Christian School in Baambrugge plus studied home economics in Amsterdam. Later she completed Red Cross training, worked for the Red Cross and studied cheese making.

Carrie met Tunis Van Walbeek at a military homecoming celebration party when Tunis returned from Indonesia.. They were married on April 16, 1952, in Baambrugge and immigrated to Iowa that summer. They were blessed with four children: Cornie, Wayne, Cathy and Greg who recall growing up with life centered around family, farm, school and church. Carrie was a loving wife and helpmate to Tunis for nearly 70 years as together they farmed in various communities including Flagler, Ottumwa, Attica, Peoria, then settling on their farm east of Monroe until retiring to Pella in 1999. Carrie was always the keeper of the farm and family records. She is lovingly known as Oma to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Through the years they were members of the Christian Reformed churches in Tracy, Cedar, Peoria,, Pella 1st CRC where Carrie was involved in the Ladies Societies. Tunis and Carrie were charter members of Faith Christian Reformed Church and continued to attend regularly. Carrie was a member of the Faith CRC Ladies Society and Pella Christian High Auxiliary for many years.

Those left to cherish her memory are her husband Tunis, and their family:

Cornie and Gretchen Van Walbeek

            Mia and Joe (deceased) Countryman

                        Sylvia Visser (Cam Schneider)

                        Jasper Countryman

            Lance Conner

                        Brodie Conner

                        James Conner

            Micole Van Walbeek

                        Ava Ogletree

            Ross and Haley Eveland

                        Aubrie Eveland

            Skyler and Katie Van Walbeek

                        Kaylea Van Walbeek

                        Faith Van Walbeek 

Wayne and Karen Van Walbeek

            Joseph Cornelius Van Walbeek (deceased)

            Katrina and Jeff Heater

                        Payton Harsch

                        Mia Harsch

                        Layla Harsch

                        Holden Heater

            Cody and LaDonna Van Walbeek

                        Sloane Van Walbeek

            Conner and Abigail Van Walbeek

                        Evan Van Walbeek

Cathy and Jaren Steenhoek

            Jeremy and Sarah Steenhoek

                        Jocelyn Steenhoek

                        Jacob Steenhoek

            Curtis and Jessica Steenhoek

                        Isaac Steenhoek

                        Lily Steenhoek

                        Cora Steenhoek

Greg and Marti Van Walbeek

            Regen Van Walbeek (Sarah Fehlberg)

            Carissa Van Walbeek (Thierry Habishuty)

In addition to her family, Carrie is survived by her sisters-in-law: Stiny, Corrie and Willy, and her brothers-in-law: Jan and Bert along with many nieces and nephews to whom she is known as Tante Gerrie, the hugging aunt.

Carrie was preceded in death by her parents Willem III and Jannetje Verhoef, her parents-in-law Cornelis and Wilhelmina van Walbeek-van Dien, grandson Joseph Cornelius Van Walbeek, grandson-in-law Joe Countryman, and her brothers and sisters: William, Harmen, Marretje, Jan, Simon, Jannetje, Neeltje and their spouses.

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