Jennie De Ronde Ver Meer was born April 7, 1923, the youngest daughter of Arie and Hendrieke De Ronde.
She grew up on their family farm near Galesburg and was baptized and attended Galesburg CRC as a child. Growing up Jennie loved riding the horses that her brothers trained. She was known to have the fastest gaited horse in the neighborhood.
Later the family joined the First CRC of Pella. It was there she met and fell in love with Harold Ver Meer. They were married January 1, 1942. They moved to Plain View Farm in the spring of 1945, here they raised their children Mary, Andrea, David and Ann.
Jennie and Harold became charter members of Calvary Christian Reformed Church. She was active in the Willing Workers Society and taught 1st grade Sunday school for many years. She and Harold, John and Edna Boender, and Dale and Ruth Gosselink were member of the committee that started the outdoor worship services at the North Overlook area of Red Rock Lake. Every summer these services drew hundreds of worshipers.
4-H was important to the family and she served on the Marion County Extension council while her children were members of the Lake Prairie Club. She enjoyed helping them with their projects and brought home blue ribbons herself with baking and knitting exhibits in the open class.
A highlight of her life was standing at the baptismal font at the church in Auds Losdrect, Holland, where her father was dedicated to the Lord, and finding his name in the church registry. After struggling to understand the Dutch of the rest of the country she understood perfectly the dialect of this village. It was the same as she heard from her father as he read her the Dutch newspaper that came to their home every week.
Jennie loved interior and dress design, often staying up sewing till the wee hours of the night. Her daughters would wake up in the morning and find a beautiful prom dress hanging in the doorway.
She was an associate teacher for seven years in the preschool department during the initial years of Christian Opportunity Center. At the time she worked there, it was a school for special need children, a passion of hers for she loved children. Working with dear friends Betty Hovey, Judi Menninga and Ruth Santee.
After her retirement she had more time to concentrate on her flower gardens. She especially enjoyed raising roses & lilies and so appreciated Derek Groendyk helping her with her yard and flowerbeds.
She loved to read and instilled that love in her family. She researched and ordered books for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, always finding the book that personally interested them and encouraged their faith in Jesus.
Harold and Jennie were avid campers. The favorite location was area 7, lot 20 at the Iowa State fair. Never missing the event for 50 years, they enjoyed having the grown children camp beside them, watching them compete at the horse show and sharing food and laughter with state fair neighbors as well as all the family.
After 65 years of marriage Harold passed away at the Comfort House on July 19, 2007. Jennie continued to live in her home, enjoying her beautiful garden.
She was dearly loved and will be deeply missed by her 4 children; 12 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; one brother, Bob De Ronde and wife Dorothy of Pella and 1 brother-in-law, Peter Rus. Jennie’s family: Mary and Lyle Borg – Pella, Iowa, Andrea and Jim Balmer - Iowa City, Iowa, Dave and Debbie Ver Meer – Columbus, Ohio, Ann and Dave Oglesby - Iowa City, Iowa.
Jennie was preceded in death by her husband, Harold, an infant grandson Andrew Oglesby, parents, Arie & Hendrieke De Ronde and the following brothers and sisters: Jacob and Nick De Ronde, Johanna (Raymond) Van Heukelom, Dora (Peter) Rus, Neal and John De Ronde.
Interment: Pella, Iowa
Van Dyk - Duven Funeral Home
She grew up on their family farm near Galesburg and was baptized and attended Galesburg CRC as a child. Growing up Jennie loved riding the horses that her brothers trained. She was known to have the fastest gaited horse in the neighborhood.
Later the family joined the First CRC of Pella. It was there she met and fell in love with Harold Ver Meer. They were married January 1, 1942. They moved to Plain View Farm in the spring of 1945, here they raised their children Mary, Andrea, David and Ann.
Jennie and Harold became charter members of Calvary Christian Reformed Church. She was active in the Willing Workers Society and taught 1st grade Sunday school for many years. She and Harold, John and Edna Boender, and Dale and Ruth Gosselink were member of the committee that started the outdoor worship services at the North Overlook area of Red Rock Lake. Every summer these services drew hundreds of worshipers.
4-H was important to the family and she served on the Marion County Extension council while her children were members of the Lake Prairie Club. She enjoyed helping them with their projects and brought home blue ribbons herself with baking and knitting exhibits in the open class.
A highlight of her life was standing at the baptismal font at the church in Auds Losdrect, Holland, where her father was dedicated to the Lord, and finding his name in the church registry. After struggling to understand the Dutch of the rest of the country she understood perfectly the dialect of this village. It was the same as she heard from her father as he read her the Dutch newspaper that came to their home every week.
Jennie loved interior and dress design, often staying up sewing till the wee hours of the night. Her daughters would wake up in the morning and find a beautiful prom dress hanging in the doorway.
She was an associate teacher for seven years in the preschool department during the initial years of Christian Opportunity Center. At the time she worked there, it was a school for special need children, a passion of hers for she loved children. Working with dear friends Betty Hovey, Judi Menninga and Ruth Santee.
After her retirement she had more time to concentrate on her flower gardens. She especially enjoyed raising roses & lilies and so appreciated Derek Groendyk helping her with her yard and flowerbeds.
She loved to read and instilled that love in her family. She researched and ordered books for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, always finding the book that personally interested them and encouraged their faith in Jesus.
Harold and Jennie were avid campers. The favorite location was area 7, lot 20 at the Iowa State fair. Never missing the event for 50 years, they enjoyed having the grown children camp beside them, watching them compete at the horse show and sharing food and laughter with state fair neighbors as well as all the family.
After 65 years of marriage Harold passed away at the Comfort House on July 19, 2007. Jennie continued to live in her home, enjoying her beautiful garden.
She was dearly loved and will be deeply missed by her 4 children; 12 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; one brother, Bob De Ronde and wife Dorothy of Pella and 1 brother-in-law, Peter Rus. Jennie’s family: Mary and Lyle Borg – Pella, Iowa, Andrea and Jim Balmer - Iowa City, Iowa, Dave and Debbie Ver Meer – Columbus, Ohio, Ann and Dave Oglesby - Iowa City, Iowa.
Jennie was preceded in death by her husband, Harold, an infant grandson Andrew Oglesby, parents, Arie & Hendrieke De Ronde and the following brothers and sisters: Jacob and Nick De Ronde, Johanna (Raymond) Van Heukelom, Dora (Peter) Rus, Neal and John De Ronde.
Interment: Pella, Iowa
Van Dyk - Duven Funeral Home
Jennie De Ronde Ver Meer was born April 7, 1923, the youngest daughter of Arie and Hendrieke De Ronde.
She grew up on their family farm near Galesburg and was baptized and attended Galesburg CRC as a child. Growing up Jennie loved riding the horses that her brothers trained. She was known to have the fastest gaited horse in the neighborhood.
Later the family joined the First CRC of Pella. It was there she met and fell in love with Harold Ver Meer. They were married January 1, 1942. They moved to Plain View Farm in the spring of 1945, here they raised their children Mary, Andrea, David and Ann.
Jennie and Harold became charter members of Calvary Christian Reformed Church. She was active in the Willing Workers Society and taught 1st grade Sunday school for many years. She and Harold, John and Edna Boender, and Dale and Ruth Gosselink were member of the committee that started the outdoor worship services at the North Overlook area of Red Rock Lake. Every summer these services drew hundreds of worshipers.
4-H was important to the family and she served on the Marion County Extension council while her children were members of the Lake Prairie Club. She enjoyed helping them with their projects and brought home blue ribbons herself with baking and knitting exhibits in the open class.
A highlight of her life was standing at the baptismal font at the church in Auds Losdrect, Holland, where her father was dedicated to the Lord, and finding his name in the church registry. After struggling to understand the Dutch of the rest of the country she understood perfectly the dialect of this village. It was the same as she heard from her father as he read her the Dutch newspaper that came to their home every week.
Jennie loved interior and dress design, often staying up sewing till the wee hours of the night. Her daughters would wake up in the morning and find a beautiful prom dress hanging in the doorway.
She was an associate teacher for seven years in the preschool department during the initial years of Christian Opportunity Center. At the time she worked there, it was a school for special need children, a passion of hers for she loved children. Working with dear friends Betty Hovey, Judi Menninga and Ruth Santee.
After her retirement she had more time to concentrate on her flower gardens. She especially enjoyed raising roses & lilies and so appreciated Derek Groendyk helping her with her yard and flowerbeds.
She loved to read and instilled that love in her family. She researched and ordered books for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, always finding the book that personally interested them and encouraged their faith in Jesus.
Harold and Jennie were avid campers. The favorite location was area 7, lot 20 at the Iowa State fair. Never missing the event for 50 years, they enjoyed having the grown children camp beside them, watching them compete at the horse show and sharing food and laughter with state fair neighbors as well as all the family.
After 65 years of marriage Harold passed away at the Comfort House on July 19, 2007. Jennie continued to live in her home, enjoying her beautiful garden.
She was dearly loved and will be deeply missed by her 4 children; 12 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; one brother, Bob De Ronde and wife Dorothy of Pella and 1 brother-in-law, Peter Rus. Jennie’s family: Mary and Lyle Borg – Pella, Iowa, Andrea and Jim Balmer - Iowa City, Iowa, Dave and Debbie Ver Meer – Columbus, Ohio, Ann and Dave Oglesby - Iowa City, Iowa.
Jennie was preceded in death by her husband, Harold, an infant grandson Andrew Oglesby, parents, Arie & Hendrieke De Ronde and the following brothers and sisters: Jacob and Nick De Ronde, Johanna (Raymond) Van Heukelom, Dora (Peter) Rus, Neal and John De Ronde.
Interment: Pella, Iowa
Van Dyk - Duven Funeral Home
She grew up on their family farm near Galesburg and was baptized and attended Galesburg CRC as a child. Growing up Jennie loved riding the horses that her brothers trained. She was known to have the fastest gaited horse in the neighborhood.
Later the family joined the First CRC of Pella. It was there she met and fell in love with Harold Ver Meer. They were married January 1, 1942. They moved to Plain View Farm in the spring of 1945, here they raised their children Mary, Andrea, David and Ann.
Jennie and Harold became charter members of Calvary Christian Reformed Church. She was active in the Willing Workers Society and taught 1st grade Sunday school for many years. She and Harold, John and Edna Boender, and Dale and Ruth Gosselink were member of the committee that started the outdoor worship services at the North Overlook area of Red Rock Lake. Every summer these services drew hundreds of worshipers.
4-H was important to the family and she served on the Marion County Extension council while her children were members of the Lake Prairie Club. She enjoyed helping them with their projects and brought home blue ribbons herself with baking and knitting exhibits in the open class.
A highlight of her life was standing at the baptismal font at the church in Auds Losdrect, Holland, where her father was dedicated to the Lord, and finding his name in the church registry. After struggling to understand the Dutch of the rest of the country she understood perfectly the dialect of this village. It was the same as she heard from her father as he read her the Dutch newspaper that came to their home every week.
Jennie loved interior and dress design, often staying up sewing till the wee hours of the night. Her daughters would wake up in the morning and find a beautiful prom dress hanging in the doorway.
She was an associate teacher for seven years in the preschool department during the initial years of Christian Opportunity Center. At the time she worked there, it was a school for special need children, a passion of hers for she loved children. Working with dear friends Betty Hovey, Judi Menninga and Ruth Santee.
After her retirement she had more time to concentrate on her flower gardens. She especially enjoyed raising roses & lilies and so appreciated Derek Groendyk helping her with her yard and flowerbeds.
She loved to read and instilled that love in her family. She researched and ordered books for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, always finding the book that personally interested them and encouraged their faith in Jesus.
Harold and Jennie were avid campers. The favorite location was area 7, lot 20 at the Iowa State fair. Never missing the event for 50 years, they enjoyed having the grown children camp beside them, watching them compete at the horse show and sharing food and laughter with state fair neighbors as well as all the family.
After 65 years of marriage Harold passed away at the Comfort House on July 19, 2007. Jennie continued to live in her home, enjoying her beautiful garden.
She was dearly loved and will be deeply missed by her 4 children; 12 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; one brother, Bob De Ronde and wife Dorothy of Pella and 1 brother-in-law, Peter Rus. Jennie’s family: Mary and Lyle Borg – Pella, Iowa, Andrea and Jim Balmer - Iowa City, Iowa, Dave and Debbie Ver Meer – Columbus, Ohio, Ann and Dave Oglesby - Iowa City, Iowa.
Jennie was preceded in death by her husband, Harold, an infant grandson Andrew Oglesby, parents, Arie & Hendrieke De Ronde and the following brothers and sisters: Jacob and Nick De Ronde, Johanna (Raymond) Van Heukelom, Dora (Peter) Rus, Neal and John De Ronde.
Interment: Pella, Iowa
Van Dyk - Duven Funeral Home
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