07/03/05

Tilda Hook, age of 92, of Aplington, Iowa, was born April 12, 1913, on a farm west of Wellsburg, Iowa, to Albert and Hilka (Tjaden) Geerdes. She received her education from the Wellsburg High School. Tilda Geerdes was united in marriage with Raymond Hook on January 26, 1935, at the parsonage of First Christian Reformed Church in Wellsburg. They made their home and began farming south of Aplington, Iowa. The Hooks retired in 1973 and moved to Aplington. Several years after her husband’s death, Tilda moved to the Maple Manor Care Center in Aplington. She lived first in the apartments and later became a resident in the nursing home. For 70 years Tilda was a faithful member of First Reformed Church of Aplington, where she was active as a member and officer of the Women’s Guild for Christian Service. She enjoyed playing the piano on various occasions at the church and at Maple Manor. Tilda died Monday, June 20, 2005, at the Maple Manor Care Center, Aplington, Iowa, of natural causes. She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond; a son, Sherman; a granddaughter, Patricia Hook; and two brothers, Wayne Geerdes and Jake Geerdes. Mrs. Hook is survived by a daughter, Marjorie (LeRoy) Koopman of Grand Rapids, Michigan; a son, Floyd (Frances) Hook of Maryville, Missouri; a daughter-in-law, Elaine Hook of Aplington, Iowa; six grandchildren, Kendall Koopman of Farmington Hills, Michigan, Lori (Tom) Duda of Rochester Hills, Michigan, Amy Hook of Creston, Iowa, Kevin (Sonia) Hook of Fairmont, Minnesota, Alan (Teri) Hook of Grundy Center, Iowa, and Curtis Hook of Aplington, Iowa; six great-grandchildren, Chelsea and Taylor Duda, Patrick and Megan Koopman, and Heather and Jordan Hook; three sisters, Gladys Eckhoff of Ackley, Iowa, Vera Ackerman of Iowa Falls, Iowa and Thelma (Paul) Slinker of Grundy Center, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews. Funeral Services were held at 9:00 a.m., Thursday, June 23, 2005 at the First Reformed Church in Aplington, Iowa with Rev. Harlan DeJong officiating. Organist was Lois Wessels. Tony Poppens sang “My Tribute” and “He Touched Me”. Congregational Hymns were “Near To the Heart of God” and “How Great Thou Art”. Casketbearers were Kevin Hook, Alan Hook, Curtis Hook, Kendall Koopman, Lori Duda and Amy Hook. Interment was in Pleasant View Cemetery, rural Aplington, Iowa. Redman-Schwartz Funeral Chapel, Aplington, was in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be directed to the family.

07/03/05

07/03/05

Nida Katherine Dralle, 93, of Allison, Iowa, died Wednesday, June 22, 2005 at the Allison Health Care Center. Nida was born on January 12, 1912, in Bristow, Iowa, the daughter of Peter Klaus and Gertie (Brinkman) Miller. She attended elementary school at Walnut Grove Country School, near Bristow, and later graduated from Bristow High School on May 29, 1929. Following school Nida worked as a housekeeper from September 1934 until January 1, 1936 for George and Flora Wells, who operated a store in Dumont, Iowa. On March 2, 1936, Nida was united in marriage to Albert Dralle at St. Jacobus Lutheran Church in Allison. The couple farmed near Bristow for several years before moving to farms that they rented and farmed near Greene and Allison, where Nida shared in the farm work focusing on raising chickens and the garden. Nida was a member of St. James Lutheran Church in Allison. She loved to garden, cook, read, playing piano and do embroidery and crossword puzzles. She created her own crossword dictionary, collected recipes, poems, religious verses and clippings of historical and unusual events. Nida is survived by her husband Albert of Allison; two daughters, Linda Heyer and her husband Donald of Waverly and Dorothy Codner and her husband Mike of Bristow; one son, Joseph Dralle and his wife Nadean of Clarksville; 11 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Ralph and Paul Miller; and by one sister, Esther Clapham. Funeral services were held on Saturday, June 25, 2005, at 10:30 A.M. at St. James Lutheran Church in Allison with Pastors Jeffrey Blank and Ruth Ann Schriver officiating. Burial was in Allison Cemetery.

07/03/05

John R. Wubbena, 102, of Coulter, Iowa, passed away June 24, 2005, at the Scenic Manor Nursing Home in Iowa Falls, Iowa. He was born on November 6, 1902, to John and Carrie (Jensen) Wubbena south of Bristow, Iowa. John married Martha Viet on January 1, 1931 in Dumont, Iowa. John worked as a laborer and he did custom corn shelling and feed grinding. He also mowed ditches for the county for many years. He was a member of the Dumont Reformed Church in Dumont, Iowa. He is survived by his son Willis (Connie) Wubbena of Iowa Falls; daughter Mabel (Wesley) Meyer of Hampton; son Carlton (Beverly) Wubbena of N. San Juan, California; grandchildren Duane (Becky) Wubbena of Iowa Falls; Diane Benyshek of Lisbon; Donna Wubbena of Iowa Falls, Colette (Kevin) Westaby of Belmond; Kim Meyer of Pleasent Hill; Lu Jean (Bond) Howery of Huber Heights, Ohio; Cherie Lewis of Sheridan, Montana; Marla (Bob) Aguiar of Fresno, California; Carla Kindorf of Byron, California; thirteen great grandchildren, one great great grandson, and four nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, daughter Irma, sister Gen, one grandson Marty Wubbena. Funeral services were held at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 29, 2005 at the Dumont Reformed Church with Rev. Bob Scholten officiating. Special music was provided by organist, Jim Siebrands accom-panying the congregational singing. Pallbearers were Bond Howery, Willis Wubbena, Wesley Meyer, Jesse Westaby, Kevin Westaby and Duane Wubbena. Final resting place was in the Dumont Cemetery with Sietsema-Vogel Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

07/03/05
 

07/09/05

Vern Leslie Christensen, 87, of Allison, Iowa, passed away June 28, 2005, at the Allen Memorial Hospital in Waterloo, Iowa of natural causes. Vern was born October 21, 1917, in Butler County, Iowa to Fred and Kate (Westerman) Christensen. He attended Allison Public Schools. He was married to Frieda Heyenga on January 15, 1939, in Aplington, Iowa. He worked at Butler County Rural Electrical Co-op. He was a member of the Trinity Reformed Church in Allison, Iowa, where he served as Deacon and Elder on the Consistory and taught Sunday School for several years. He bowled with the REC Pole Cats for several years. Vern enjoyed painting, carving, gardening and camping. He is survived by his wife Frieda Christensen of Allison, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother Floyd and one sister Florence. Funeral services were held at 1:30 p.m., Friday, July 1, 2005 at the Trinity Reformed Church in Allison with Rev. Neal Ooms and Rev. Norman Menning officiating. Special music was provided by organist, Denise Abbas accom-panying the congregational singing. Pallbearers were Joel Smith, Charles Smith, Tom Heyenga, Matt Heyenga, Richard Smith and Steve Klunder. Final resting place was in the Allison Cemetery with Sietsema-Vogel Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

07/18/05

Ruth Busching, Age 67, of Clarksville, Iowa, was born August 12, 1937, the daughter of Jake and Emma (Hinders) DeGroote, Sr. in Aplington, Iowa. She received her education in the Clarksville Public School System. Ruth was baptized into the Christian faith on May 16, 1956. Ruth was united in marriage with Lavern Busching on September 13, 1955, in the parsonage of the Immanuel United Church of Christ in Clarksville, by Rev. Reuben Topp. They made their home in Clarksville after marriage, where Ruth and Lavern raised their five children, Brenda, Garry, Jenise, Gregory, and Michelle. Ruth had many activities she enjoyed including, ceramic crafts, and baking her famous mayonnaise cakes which her friends and family enjoyed eating when they would visit. She loved pets, birds and country western music. She was a wonderful singer and her family enjoyed listening when she would sing along with her favorite country songs. Ruth died July 1, 2005, at the Allen Memorial Hospital in Waterloo, Iowa, of natural causes. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lavern O. Busching, January 11, 1982; her parents; two sisters, Hilda Sells and Annette Sessler; and three brothers, Clarence, Henry “Hank” and Walter “Wally” DeGroote. Ruth is survived by her two sons, Garry (Kathy) Busching, Waverly, Iowa, and Gregory Busching, Clarksville, Iowa; three daughters, Brenda (Jeffrey) Keene, Alliance, Ohio, Jenise Busching and her special friend Darwin Mobley, Parkersburg, Iowa, and Michelle (David) Lucas, Clarksville, Iowa; ten grandchildren; one brother, Jake (Donna) DeGroote, Jr., Bristow, Iowa; four sisters, Annie Bartell, Herman, Minnesota, Dorothy Jans, Clarksville, Iowa, Darlene (Frank) Vance, Sr., Clarksville, Iowa, and Alice (Jim) Jacobs, Allison, Iowa; and one sister-in-law, Dottye DeGroote of Arizona. Funeral Services were held at10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 6, 2005 at the Church of Christ in Clarksville, Iowa with Rev. Val Swinton officiating. Pianist was Dan Bolin. Congregational hymns were “Old Rugged Cross” and “How Great Thou Art”. Special music was “Amazing Grace”. Casketbearers were Matt Bryan, Emily Bryan, Ellie Billman, Zachary Jacobs, James Mobley and Darwin Mobley. Honorary Casketbearers were Keith Barkman-Lucas, Daniel Lucas and Erin Bryan. Interment was in Lynwood Cemetery, Clarksville, Iowa. Redman-Schwartz Funeral Home, Clarksville, was in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be directed to the family.

07/18/05
 

07/23/05

Kathryn DeGroot, 82, of Allison, Iowa, passed away July 17, 2005, at the Hampton Health Care Center in Hampton, Iowa. She was born December 22, 1922, in Grundy County, Iowa, to Andrew and Anna (Beenken) Bruns. Kathryn attended Grundy County Schools. She was married to Lewis DeGroot on March 5, 1940, in Stout, Iowa. She was a homemaker and she worked as the Head Janitor at Lincoln School Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She was a member of the Trinity Reformed Church in Allison, Iowa. Kathryn enjoyed flowers, gardening, sewing, and attending church activities. She is survived by her daughter Darlene (Sheldon) Winkowitsch of Hampton, daughter Carol (Stan) Kruse of Iowa Falls, son Russell DeGroot of Richland; ten grandchildren; two great grand-children, and four step great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and one grandson. Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, July 21, 2005 at the Trinity Reformed Church in Allison with Rev. Steve Petroelje officiating. Special music was provided by keyboardist, Sandi Meinders accompanying the duet of Joel Sult and Greta Eberline. The flower committee was Norma Bruns and Ron & Jan Scally. Pallbearers were Terry Kruse, Daniel Kruse, Ryan DeGroot, Andy DeGroot, Ronnie Winkowitsch and Kenny Winkowitsch. Honorary pallbearers were Ron Scally and Roger Kuiper. Final resting place was in the Allison Cemetery with Sietsema-Vogel Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.