Van Rees, Wilma H. 1905-1993

VAN REES, NIKKEL, LAVERMAN, VERHEY, BRAND, MEPPELINK, VAN WYK, LANSER

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 10/4/2007 at 09:38:59

Wilma H. Van Rees

PELLA- Funeral services for Wilma Henrietta Lanser Van Rees, 88, of Pella, a former resident of Jasper County, were held today, Nov. 1, at the Sully Christian Reformed Church.

The Rev. Larry Howerzyl, pastor of the church, conducted services. Burial was in Sully Cemetery.

Memorials to an area Christian school will be accepted.

Van Dyk-Duven Funeral Home in Pella handled arrangements.

She died Friday morning at the Pella community nursing Home.

Survivors are a son and daughter-in-law, Lenora and Bernie Nikkel of Pella, Henrietta and Wilford Laverman of Sully, Joann and Ben Verhey of Pella and Joyce and Charles Brand of Newton; 29 grandchildren; 52 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-granddaughter.

Also surviving are a sister, Bertha (Mrs. John) Meppelink of De Motte, Ind.; and a brother, William Lanser of Pella.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence, by her parents, two brothers in infancy, a brother, Arie Lanser, two sisters, Mattie Jansen and Trina Ratcliff, and two great-grandchildren.

She was a lifelong member of the Sully Christian Reformed Church and was a member of the Lydia and Ruth Circles.

Mrs. Van Rees, who wrote and spoke the language of The Netherlands fluently, did handwork and was a flower gardener.

Mrs. Van Rees, a homemaker, formerly had served as a teacher's assistant and drove a horse and buggy, transporting students to school.

The daughter of William and Henrietta Van Wyk Lanser, she was born Aug. 3, 1905 north of Lynnville, attended the Sully Christian Grade School and was a member of its first graduating class.

She was married to Lawrence Louis Van Rees Feb. 1, 1926 at the home of her parents near Sully.

The couple farmed in the Sully area until 1955 when they moved into Sully. She became a patient at the Pella Community Nursing home in 1988. ~ The Newton (IA) Daily News, October 1993