Nikkel, Joann 1935-2021

NIKKEL, SWANK, STURSMA, FOX, GARCIA, MAYRHOFER, PORTELLI, HACKMAN, HILEMAN, VAN KOOTEN, DEUR, KOOISTRA, LANSER, MENNINGA, VAN WYK, JONKER, LOYNACHAN, VAN MAANEN, ZYLSTRA

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 7/13/2021 at 21:35:32

Joann Nikkel
April 19, 2021

Memorial Services will be held on Friday, April 23, 2021 at 2:00 pm,, Calvary Christian Reformed Church, Pella, Iowa. Services will be livestreamed on the Calvary CRC website. Please click this link: https://calvarypella.org/media/

Private Family Committal Service will be held on Friday, April 23, 2021, Peoria Cemetery, Peoria, Iowa.

Per her wishes there will be no visitation.

Memorial contributions are suggested for Pella Christian High School.

Joann Swank, a child of God, sister to five sisters and two brothers, faithful wife for 58 years, loving mother and grandmother at the age of 85 years, and “Dutch Clean” worker. Joann, the fifth of eight children born to Gysbert and Jacoba (Stursma) Swank, was born near Peoria, Iowa on November 6, 1935. She graduated from the Peoria Christian School and Pella Christian High School with the Class of 1953.

Joann met Leo Donald Nikkel, through a close friend of his, Larry Kooistra, at the Sully Cooperative Exchange. The rest of the story is history as Joann and Leo were united in marriage on June 4, 1957, at the Peoria Christian Reformed Church. They were blessed with three children: Penne Jo, Ricky Lee, and Susanne, to whom they modeled a strong example of their Christian faith. Joann was a conscientious and highly respected secretary at Pella Christian High School for 30 years.

She and Leo served as custodians at Calvary Christian Reformed Church, where she thoroughly enjoyed interacting with the congregation, singing in the choir and serving as librarian. Joann also cleaned several private residences, known for leaving them in a pristine state of cleanliness. She cherished family, especially when they gathered for food and games. She loved her walks as a way to stay active and enjoy God’s beautiful creation. Maybe her deepest devotion was to prayer, her children with early memories of her at bedtime being literally on her knees. If you knew Joann, it was likely she prayed for you.

On Monday, April 19, 2021, she passed away at the Hospice of Pella Comfort House. Those who will cherish her memory are:
Penne and Douglas Fox of Pella, Iowa
Allison Fox
Derek and Ashlee (Garcia) Fox
Rick and Lynn (Mayrhofer) Nikkel of Norfolk, VA
Matthew and Jessica (Portelli) Nikkel
Susanne Hileman of Salt Lake City, UT
Joshua and Kailyn (Hackman) Hileman
Lucas and Bethany (Van Kooten) Hileman
Joann is survived by three sisters: Thressa (Junior) Deur, Flora (Virgil) Kooistra both of Pella, Mildred Lanser of Grand Rapids, Michigan, her two brothers: Ronald Swank and his wife, Nancy of Sully, Iowa, Arthur Swank of Olathe, Kansas; along with the following sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Sylvia (Nikkel) and Gysbert Menninga of Oak Park, IL, Bruce and Joyce Nikkel, Nelson and Norma Nikkel all of Pella, Lucille (Edward) Nikkel of Grinnell, IA; and several nieces and nephews.

Joann was preceded in death by her husband, Leo, on October 9, 2015; her parents, Bert and Cobie Swank; two sisters and their husbands: Leona and Lester Van Wyk, Harriet and James Jonker, her brothers-in-law: Junior Deur and Virgil Kooistra, her sister-in-law, Virginia Swank; her parents-in-law, Teunis and Nellie (Stek) Nikkel; and the following sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Cornelia (Nikkel) and Fred Loynachan, Jennie (Nikkel) and John Van Maanen, Harriet (Nikkel) and Robert E. Zylstra, Janice (Bruce) Nikkel, James and Anna Mae Nikkel, Edward Nikkel, and Wilbur and Louise Nikkel.

Joann was a faithful member of the Calvary Christian Reformed Church in Pella, a champion of Christian education and a person of quiet, determined faith and prayer. She will be remembered as a humble, soft spoken, and gracious woman.

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Events

Memorial Service
Friday, April 23, 2021
2:00PM
Calvary Christian Reformed Church
408 Maple Street
Pella, IA ~ The Van Dyk - Duven Funeral Home, Pella, IA 19 April 2021.