Louise Van Woerkom

Louise Joan Van Woerkom was born October 18, 1931, to Walter and Marie (Groenendyk) Newendorp.  She grew up on a farm between Leighton and Oskaloosa. Louise was baptized in Ebenezer Reformed Church in Leighton. She attended West Weaver Country School through the eighth grade. When Louise was 16, she went to work at Mercy Hospital in Oskaloosa as a nurse’s aide, where she worked for five years.

On November 17, 1953, she was united in marriage to John Van Woerkom, at the Ebenezer Reformed Church. Louise and John started their life together farming near Oskaloosa and then Rosehill. In 1975 they moved west of Pella and stayed there 19 years, before moving into town in 1993. Louise worked as a nurse’s aide in the Pella Hospital nursery where she cared for babies for 15 years. She then worked for Hilltop for 15 years, where she was a cook. 

While Louise spent time caring for others throughout her career, the job she cherished most was caring for her family in her home. After having her first two children, Bonnie and Jan, she came home with her first set of twins, Karen and Kenny, and another set five years later, Jay and Jon. Louise raised her children on farms near Oskaloosa and Pella with the love and patience only she had. As the years went on, Louise cared for her grandbabies then the great grandbabies with that same patience and love. She was always the first one to comfort a crying baby with her touch and a tight swaddle. If she wasn't snuggling babies, she could be found at home putting a puzzle together, reading a book, or enjoying time with family members who had stopped by. Louise had the gift of hospitality, and always had a delicious recipe she was cooking or baking to share with her family and friends. The house was always open to the kids and grandkids whose first stop was usually the fridge to see what grandma had just baked. On Sunday mornings after church, for nearly 30 years, she hosted her family at coffee time around her kitchen table, and gave them a space to enjoy not only her baking, but each other, too. 

Once the kids were grown, Louise and John traveled many places in the United States and abroad. For their 25th anniversary, they went to Hawaii, and in 1995, they spent some time traveling in Europe. 

Louise was preceded in death by her parents Walter and Marie Newendorp, her parents-in-law Bastian and Gertie Van Woerkom, her brothers: Wilbur Newendorp and John Newendorp, sister Beulah Arkema, brothers-in-law: Larry Van Woerkom, Dwight Wanders, and Dormand Arkema, and sister-in-law Sylvia and Bill Quick.

Those left to cherish her memory are John, her husband of 68 years, and their family:

Bonnie and Warren Van Wyngarden, Peoria

                Cory and Sara Van Wyngarden

                                Roan, Ella, Emme

                Will and Allison Van Wyngarden

                                Kaden, Kirby, Kynlee, Kaiya

                Mark and Jessica Van Wyngarden

                                Ben, Brady, Beau, Brock

                Alex and Jentri Van Wyngarden

                                Ada, Aaron, Alyza, Alivia, Asa

Jan and Kevin Laverman, Sully

                Ashley and Dan Drusch

                Clarissa Laverman

                Jared Laverman

Karen and Don Branderhorst, Otley

                Katie and Matthew Miller

                                Kellan, Kensington

                Stacie and Bret Fynaardt

                                Hudson, Eleanor

                Lindsey and Nathan Wolff

                                Blakely, Delaney

Ken and Janiece (Meulpolder) Van Woerkom, Pella

                Mandy and Chad Klyn

                                Grant, Norah

                Mindy and Trevor Jones

                                Lucy, Gwen, baby due in February

                Kalie Van Woerkom

                Thomas and Angie Van Woerkom

                                Parker, Cooper, Hadley

Jay and Jill (Hougham) Van Woerkom, Pella

                Kendall Van Woerkom and fiance Jesse Ried

Jon and Glenda (Van Wyk) Van Woerkom, Pella

                Nicole and Jon Yoder

                                Mason, Bennett, Ellie

                Emily and Kurt Boender

                                Jackson, Jayden, Lane

                Taylor and William Vande Voort

                                Everly, Theo, and baby due in September

                Brooke Van Woerkom

Louise is also survived by her sister Dorthea Wanders, sisters-in-law: Gladys Newendorp, Karen Newendorp, and RoseAnn Van Woerkom

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