Nikkel, Lester – 1931–2010

BAARDA, BARRY, CONNER, FISK, HEEMSTRA, JACKSON, KOESTERS, LAVERMAN, NIKKEL, NORMAN, ROZENDAAL, SCHNELLE, VAN MANEN, VANDER WEERDT, VER DUGHT, WEYERS

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 1/9/2011 at 16:00:09

Lester Nikkel, 79, of Sully, Iowa, passed away Sunday afternoon at the Hospice of Pella Comfort House in Pella, Iowa.
A funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 30, at the Friends Church in Lynnville, Iowa. Interment will follow in the Sully Cemetery in Sully. Visitation will begin after 1 p.m. today, Dec. 29, at the Van Dyk-Duven Funeral Home in Pella, where the family will be present from 5 to 7 p.m. to greet friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer memorials be given for the Hospice of Pella Comfort House in Pella.
Les is survived by his wife, Marilyn (Ver Dught) Nikkel and their five children, Patty (Mark) Norman of Searsboro, Iowa, Barry (Mary) Nikkel of Alta, Iowa, Leslie Nikkel of Des Moines, Iowa, Cherine (Michael) Schnelle of Laurel and Dorreen (Kraig) Fisk of Searsboro.
Source: Newton Daily News; Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Additional information from Van Dyk -Duven Funeral Home website:
Lester Nikkel was the eighth of ten children that were born to Marcelis and Annie Baarda Nikkel. He was born on August 27, 1931, on the family farm west of Sully, Iowa. Lester attended the Sully Christian Grade School in Sully. On November 3, 1951, he was united in marriage with Marilyn Ver Dught, a daughter of Bert and Esther Jackson Ver Dught. They were married at the Second Reformed Church in Pella, Iowa and to this union five children were born: Patricia Elaine, Barry Jay, Leslie Allan, Cherine Gay and Dorreen Kay. Les was employed at Sully Implement in Sully from 1952 until 1956 and then at Grinnell Implement in Grinnell, Iowa until 1958. The family moved to his father’s farm in 1959, where he farmed for four years. Les continued to farm the De Jong farm southwest of Sully until he retired in 1995. Farming to Les was not just land, soil or implements but a place where he learned to walk and talk with God. He favored John Deere tractors, went every year to get fireworks for the 4th of July celebration and always enjoyed visiting with friends and family. Les and his family celebrated Christmas on December 25, 2010, at the Hospice of Pella Comfort House in Pella and on Sunday afternoon, December 26, 2010, he passed away there at the age of 79 years. Those who will cherish his memory are his wife of 59 years, Marilyn; their five children and their families. They are: Patty and Mark Norman of Searsboro, Iowa,Jennifer and Adam Koesters of Ames, Iowa,Jamie Norman of Searsboro, Iowa; Barry and Mary (Heemstra) Nikkel of Alta, Iowa,Dan Nikkel of Ankeny, Iowa,Erik and Julie Nikkel of Bondurant, Iowa,Mallory Nikkel,Ann Marie and Sean Barry of Lafayette, Indiana,Susie Nikkel of Goshen, Indiana; Leslie Nikkel of Des Moines, Iowa,Chris and Stephanie Nikkel of Fort Wayne, Indiana,Cayden, Madelyn Nikkel; Cherine and Michael Schnelle of Laurel, Iowa,Dana and Marvin Conner of Laurel, Iowa,Deliah Conner,Teri Ann Schnelle of Laurel, Iowa;Dorreen and Kraig Fisk of Searsboro, Iowa,Jason and Jeana Fisk of Searsboro, Iowa,Carson, Lane, Gavin Fisk,Joshua and Valerie Fisk of Lynnville, Iowa,Kobe, Kolton, Kaylynn, Landon, Cori Ann Fisk, Taylor Fisk of Searsboro, Iowa. Of his original family Lester leaves four sisters: Cornelia (Henry) Vander Weerdt and Elizabeth (John) Vander Weerdt both of Pella, Marcella and her husband, Lester Laverman of Sully, Linda and her husband, Maurice Rozendaal of Lynnville; two sisters-in-law: Wilda (John H.) Nikkel of Sully and Norma (Ver Dught) Weyers of Pella; numerous nieces and nephews; and many dear friends. Lester was preceded in death by his parents, Marcelis and Annie Nikkel; his parents-in-law, Bert and Esther Ver Dught; his three brothers and their wives: James M. and Sadie Nikkel, Bernie M. and Lenora Nikkel, John H. Nikkel; two sisters and their husbands: Mathilda and Arthur Van Manen, Pauline and Clarence Laverman; and three brothers-in-law: Henry Vander Weerdt, John Vander Weerdt and Harry Weyers