Jochems, Peter Richard 1931-2017

JOCHEMS, BRUXVOORT, VAN WYK, ROOSE, KELDERMAN, NUNNIKHOVEN, GEERDES, ROSSOW, KAVERS, WESTBROOK, NIEUWSMA, CORMICLE

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 1/25/2017 at 12:18:35

Peter Richard Jochems was born on February 28, 1931, near Galesburg, Iowa. He was a son of Gerrit and Jennie (Bruxvoort) Jochems and his mother passed away in September, 1943 when Pete was just 12 years old. Her death had a lasting impact on Pete and he subsequently was raised by his father, Gerrit, and his step-mother, Emma (Van Wyk) Jochems. Pete completed the 8th grade at a country grade school and was drafted into the United States Army during the Korean War. He began his deployment in August, 1952, was wounded in October, 1952, and awarded the purple heart in November, 1952. In September 1953, he returned to the states arriving home unexpectedly and was discharged in November. Just prior to his active military service Pete and Betty Jeanne Roose began a relationship and had continued to correspond. On February 4, 1954, they were united in marriage at the Peoria Christian Reformed Church in Peoria, Iowa. To this union three children were born: Gary John, James Alan and Beverly LuAnn. Following their marriage Pete worked as a hired farm hand at Newton, Iowa and then they began renting land near New Sharon, Iowa. They moved to the Peoria farm in 1968, rented it for a few years, and purchased the farm in the early 1970’s. They continued to farm and live there for 49 years. Farming and raising livestock was a lifelong passion of Pete’s; and it was difficult to take the ‘farm’ out of Pete. Pete and Betty enjoyed many vacations to the States of Michigan and Texas to visit family and also visits to Branson, Missouri. Pete’s most recent trip was to be a part of a Freedom Flight for veterans to Washington, D.C. on October 25, 2011. This experience made his military service complete.

On Sunday, January 22, 2017, Pete’s life on earth was complete and he passed away at the Hospice of Pella Comfort House in Pella at the age of 85 years following a very brief diagnosis.

Pete is survived by his wife, Betty; their son, Gary Jochems and his wife, Carol (Kelderman) of Sully, Iowa and their three children: Scott and Becka Jochems and their children: Skyler, Madison, and Colton, Emily Jochems, Erin and Jaren Nunnikhoven; a daughter-in-law, Barbara (Geerdes) Jochems and her two daughters: Rachel and Valerie of Pella; their daughter, Beverly and her husband, Larry Rossow of Newton, Iowa and their daughter, Anne and her husband, Nate Kavars. Of his original family, Pete is survived by his brother, Harry Jochems and his wife, Joyce, his sister, Betty (Duane) Westbrook all of Newton, Iowa; a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Afton and Rita Roose of Farmersville, Texas; as well as several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his son, James Jochems, on June 15, 2006 at the age of 49 years; his mother, Jennie Jochems, his step-mother, Emma Jochems, his father, Gerrit Jochems; his parents-in-law, John and Ella (Nieuwsma) Roose; his brother-in-law, Duane Westbrook and a sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Shirley (Roose) and James Cormicle. Pete was a faithful member of the Peoria Christian Reformed Church in Peoria, Iowa.

Funeral services will be held
Thursday, January 26, 2017 at 10:30 a.m.
Peoria Christian Reformed Church, Peoria, Iowa
Interment will follow in the Peoria Cemetery with military rites.

Visitation will begin Wednesday afternoon at Van Dyk- Duven Funeral Home in Pella where the family will be present Wednesday from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be designated for Mission Fund of the Peoria Christian Reformed Church at Peoria, Iowa. ~ The Van Dyk - Duven Funeral Home, Pella, Iowa Sun 17 Jan 2017.