Memorials › James Vander Kooi

James Vander Kooi

31 Aug 1920 – 7 Aug 2014

Birth31 Aug 1920
Death7 Aug 2014
CemeteryHope Cemetery
Hull , Sioux County , Iowa , USA
FaGhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/134035946

Bio

HULL, Iowa -- James Vander Kooi, 93, of Hull passed away Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2014, at Pleasant Acres Care Center in Hull. Memorial services will be 6:30 p.m. today at American Reformed Church in Hull. The Rev. Steven Bierly will officiate. James was born on Aug. 31, 1920, in Hull, the son of Benjamin and Theresa (Boogerd) Vander Kooi. He was raised at Hull, where he attended the Christian elementary school and graduated from the public high school. He also attended Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, and Mankato Commercial College in Minnesota. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. In 1944, his B-24 bomber was shot down over Austria, and he became a prisoner of war in Germany. In 1945, he was liberated and honorably discharged as a technical sergeant. On Oct. 22, 1943, Jim married Velma Beth Koele in Sioux City. They made their home in Hull, where he was the owner and operator of the Vander Kooi Freight Line, retiring in 1983. Velma passed away on Sept. 13, 2009, in Sioux Center, Iowa. He later became a resident at Pleasant Acres. Mr. Vander Kooi was a member of American Reformed Church, where he served on the consistory as an elder and a deacon and taught Sunday school and catechism classes. He also belonged to the American Legion Wegman-Koele Post in Hull and served on the boards of directors of the Community Betterment Corporation and Hope Cemetery. He enjoyed sports as a player, as well as a spectator. He played basketball in high school and college. He was the center-fielder for the Hull Orphans All-Star Team for 15 years. He bowled on the Hull Dairy Bowling Team for more than 25 years, and he was an avid golfer. He was a fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes, Northwestern Red Raiders, Boyden-Hull-Rock Valley Nighthawks, Boyden-Hull Comets, Minnesota Twins, and Minnesota Vikings. Jim's legacy is his deep spiritual faith, his patriotism, and his servant heart. Survivors include his son and his wife, Dr. Bruce and Helen Vander Kooi of Storm Lake, Iowa; two daughters and their husbands, Bette and Terry Boote of Hull, and Becky and Oots Altena, of Sioux Center, Iowa; seven grandchildren, Dr. Jeff Vander Kooi of Ballwin, Mo., Dr. Andy (Amy) Vander Kooi of Arvada, Colo., Megan (Austin) Lorenzen of Waverly, Iowa, Courtney (Adam) Boone of Orange City, Iowa, Abbie (Wade) Vander Maten of Hull, Erin (Shane) Smith of Sheldon, Iowa, and Katie Getting of Des Moines; nine great-grandchildren; and a sister, Gert Scholten of George, Iowa. In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by a brother and his wife, Bill and Grace Vander Kooi; three sisters and their husbands, Agnes and Wilfred Wortman, Sally and Jake Timmer, and Josie and Jake Van Berkum; and a brother-in-law, Gene Scholten. Memorials will be directed to the American Reformed Church Building Fund and Pleasant Acres.

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