Kooistra-Brand Family

KOOISTRA, OLIVIER, BRAND, VER HEUL, SCHMIDT, REYNOLDS, VANDE KROL, VAN GENDEREN, RENAUD, VAN WYK, DE BOEF, ROZENDAAL, VANDER WILT

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 8/6/2009 at 11:41:13

From: Sully Centennial Book (1882-1982)
Newton Public Library

WIETZE W. AND CATHERINE KOOISTRA

Wietze W. Kooistra, son of Wietze Kooistra and Baukje Olivier Kooistra, was born on November 23, 1879 in Friesland, a province in the Netherlands. On January 17, 1905, he married Catherine Brand, the daughter of Jacob and Jane Ver Heul Brand. Catherine was born December 23, 1882, in Marion County near Pella.

They started housekeeping in the Taylor neighborhood and later bought the farm north of Lynnville from Everett Willemsen. Their son, Bernard Kooistra, lives on the farm at the present time.

Nine children were born to this family. One daughter, Francis Lucile, died in infancy of pneumonia. The remaining children are: Lenora, who was married to Francis Schmidt and later to Floyd Reynolds (both deceased); Edna, married to John Vande Krol (deceased); Bernard, married to Nelle Van Genderen; Sylvia, married to Clarence Renaud; Frances, married to Wilburn Van Wyk; Velma, married to Arthur De Boef; Virgil, married to Leola Rozendaal; and David, married to Pauline Vander Wilt. The family attended the Bethel Church in the community, taking an active interest in the church, community, and school affairs.

Wietze came to America with his parents at the age of eleven. He spoke three languages fluently - English, Dutch, and Friesian. Farming and music were his chief interests. He was seriously injured when a team of horses took off suddenly and crushed his leg between a spreader and a post in a hog shed. Gangrene developed and he died five days later on April 19, 1925, leaving his wife and eight children.

Catherine carried the load of bringing up the children courageously. She was always interested in music. She began taking lessons at the age of eight from Caddie Willock, Mrs. Clabe Eldredge and also an instructor from Newton. She was organist in the Christian Reformed Church in Sully for six years and also part time organist at the Methodist Church. She spent many hours during her lifetime giving lessons to her own daughters and the neighborhood children north of Lynnville. She also taught as many as thirty pupils during her later years in Sully. She passed away August 21, 1972, at the age of eighty-nine years, in Sully.