Jabaai, Marie (VanZante) 1906-2002

JABAAI, VANVANTE, CRUM

Posted By: volunteer (email)
Date: 8/21/2005 at 20:01:13

Marie Jabaai, 95, of Pella and formerly of Prairie City, died Monday, Jan. 21, in the Long Term Care Unit of Pella Regional Health Center.

Her funeral service will be 2 p.m. Thursday at First Reformed Church in Prairie City, Pastor Neal Busker officiating. Burial: Waveland Cemetery, Prairie City. The family will greet visitors an hour before the church service. Watts Funeral Home in Montezuma is in charge of arrangements.

Marie Jabaai was born April 20, 1906, at her parents' home south of Prairie City to Gerrit Tunis and Jennie Crum VanZante. She attended country school through eighth grade and graduated from Prairie City High School in 1925.

On May 1, 1935, she married Clarence Jabaai at her parents' home. In 1928 Marie began working for Dr. Peter Herny of Prairie City as an office assistant until he retired. In 1941 a niece and nephew, Joyce and Don Jabaai, came to live with Marie and Clarence. In 1951 Marie's father, husband and nephew Don died. Marie continued as a companion and caregiver to Mrs. Herny until her death in 1988. Marie then moved to Pella to Fairhaven East for a few years, then moved to the Pella Nursing Home. She was a member of First Reformed Church in Prairie City.

Marie is survived by two nieces and two nephews: Joyce (and Glen) Simpson of Carlsbad, N.M. and her children Lois (and Wayne) Ake of Albuquerque, N.M., Doug (and Deb) Ver Meer of Montezuma and Laura (and Keven) Griffith of Carlsbad, N.M.; Paul and Terri Wood of Colorado; Pam Wood of Colorado; and Doug VanZante of California; several cousins; and other relatives and friends.

Besides her husband, Marie was preceded in death by her parents; a nephew, Don Jabaai; a sister, Corinne Wood; and a brother, Bert VanZante.

The Oskaloosa Herald, January 23, 2002