Marion Vande Kieft
Marion Vande Kieft
Marion Vande Kieft
September 10, 1921 – May 15, 2015
Oskaloosa, Iowa | Age 93
Marion Vande Kieft passed away peacefully in the loving company of family members on Friday, May 15 at Serenity House in Oskaloosa. He achieved the age of ninety-three years, eight months and five days. Marion Vande Kieft, son of John D. and Johanna (Van Haaften) Vande Kieft, was born September 10, 1921 near Tracy, Iowa.
Marion graduated from Tracy Consolidated School. On December 8,1944 he married Mildred Kelderman. To this union, a daughter was born, Joann Carol, on August 17, 1946; Mildred died on August 18, 1946.
He married JoAnn Rooy on June 15, 1949. Together, they farmed near Fremont for 38 years. They ran a 25,000 chicken egg-laying business on the farm. Marion also was caretaker of the Cedar Township and Cedar Memorial cemeteries for fourteen years.
They were members of the Cedar Christian Reformed Church and Marion served on the church council numerous times, as well as on the board of the Oskaloosa Christian Grade School and Pella Christian High School.
He and JoAnn retired in 1988 and moved to Oskaloosa, where he enjoyed his lawn mowing business for ten additional years. They joined the Oskaloosa First Christian Reformed Church, where he served on the council and where they have remained members till the present.
Marion has touched many lives with his patience, infectious laugh, wisdom and guidance.
He is survived by JoAnn, his wife of nearly sixty-six years; three children: Arlene (& Bruce) Meinders of Oskaloosa, Marilou Ozinga of Pella, and Ron (& Becky) Vande Kieft of Kirkville; a son-in-law, Pete Fynaardt of Oskaloosa; twelve grandchildren; and twenty-seven great grandchildren.
He is also survived by a sister, Henrietta Rooy of Grand Rapids, Michigan; brothers and sisters-in-law Sid and (& Mae) Rooy of Penney Farms, Florida, Shirley (& John) Rolffs of Willmar, Minnesota, and Robert Rooy (& Sally Jones) of Frederick, Maryland.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Mildred; daughter, Joann Carol; brother, Henry; sister, Marie (Van Kooten); and brother-in-law, John Rooy.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, May 19, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. in the First Christian Reformed Church in Oskaloosa with Reverend Brad Meinders and Reverend Dale Visser officiating.
A family prayer service will be at 10:15 a.m. in the basement of the church on Tuesday.
Burial will be in the Forest Cemetery. The Bates Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
Visitation will begin Monday after 9 a.m. in the Bates Funeral Chapel and the family will be at the funeral chapel from 5:30 -7:30 p.m. to greet friends and relatives.
Memorials may be made to MHP Serenity House and to Oskaloosa Christian Grade School.
