Marie Hoeksema

Flora Marie Hoeksema was born May 11, 1916, to Omer and Adolphine (Lechien) Janssens, in Forest Grove, Minnesota. She passed away at The Cottages in Pella on September 5, 2020, at the age of 104.

Marie attended country school in Forest Grove and later moved to Iowa. She worked at the Kittersman’s Restaurant and Gambles in Albia and Pella Corporation.

Marie was united in marriage to Leslie Paul Neal in 1932. To this union, they were blessed with three children: Leslie Eugene, Doris Ann and Carol Dawn. Following Leslie Paul’s death in 1959, she was united in marriage to Minnikes Onstank and after his death, she married Ben Hoeksema who passed away in 1991. 

Marie liked to make crafts. She crocheted doilies and afghans and made a quilt. She loved to play cards and she was still playing a week before her death. She liked to fish and would spend hours at her favorite pond or lake. Marie bowled on leagues in Knoxville, Oskaloosa and Pella, until the age of 100. She won many trophies and a watch one year.

Marie loved her family. That was very important to her. She especially loved her grandchildren and they loved her. They all called her Granny, and loved to tease her and give her a hard time because she always took it good naturedly. She loved attention and made sure she got it at The Cottages. They all loved her there and said she always livened things up there. She would race around in her wheelchair and called herself a “go-go” girl. She enjoyed life to the fullest. Marie believed that Jesus was her Lord and Savior. She was baptized in Knoxville.

Her children:  Leslie Eugene Neal – deceased, Doris Ann (Melvin) Foster, and Carol Dawn (Russel – deceased) Albaugh

Grandchildren:  Steve Foster, Tim (Patty) Foster, Gary Foster, Becky (Craig) Meyer, Carrie Meyer, Cindy (Mike) Reschley, Kelly (Todd) Huston, Shari (Aaron) Tolander, and Jeff (Mindy) Albaugh

 Her siblings preceded her in death: Alphonsine (Lawrence) Louis, John (Rene) Janssens, Omer (Anna) Janssens, Nellie (Fred) Reeves, Jules Janssens, Arthur (Lucile) Janssens, Alice (Ray) Jones, and Fernal (Karen) Janssens.

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