KOOISTRA, Richard, Rev. 1931-2013

KOOISTRA, KEMPEMA, SANDBULTE, KNYFD, GALBRAITH

Posted By: K.L. Kittleson
Date: 1/10/2013 at 14:14:58

Home Town: Inwood, Iowa
Deceased Date: Saturday, January 5, 2013

Visitation: Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Time: 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Address: Inwood Christian Reformed Church
305 East Madison Street
Inwood, Iowa

Service: Thursday, January 10, 2013
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Address: Inwood Christian Reformed Church
305 East Madison Street
Inwood, Iowa

Obituary:

Inwood, Iowa -- Rev. Richard Kooistra, age 81, of Inwood, died Saturday, January 5, 2013 at the Fellowship Village in Inwood. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, January 10, 2013 at the Inwood Christian Reformed Church with Rev. Sam Krikke and Rev. Steven Kooistra officiating. Burial will follow at the Richland Cemetery. Visitation will be from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday at Porter Funeral Home in Inwood and continuing from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. with the family present at the Inwood Christian Reformed Church. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.porterfuneralhomes.com.

Richard was born on April 6, 1931 in Hudson, South Dakota, the second son of Martin and Jennie (Kempema) Kooistra. He graduated from Hawarden High School in 1948. Richard married the love of his life, Fonda Pearl Sandbulte in Carmel Reformed Church, in Carmel, Iowa, on June 24, 1952.

Richard and Fonda farmed two different acreages: one northeast of Inwood and one by Alvord. As members of Inwood Christian Reformed Church, Richard participated in the Sunday School outreach at the schoolhouse in Beloit, Iowa at which time he heard and accepted God's calling into full time ministry. The couple had a farm sale in 1964 and moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan where Richard attended Reformed Bible Institute and worked full time at Keeler Brass.

In 1968, after graduating, he and Fonda accepted a call to Paterson, New Jersey, as full time missionaries to an inner city church plant called Faith Chapel. During his ministry there, he graduated from North Eastern Bible College and after taking classes at New Brunswick Seminary, he was ordained in the Reformed Church of America on June 26, 1980. Under his ministry, Faith Chapel was organized as a predominantly African-American Reformed Congregation that remains a vibrant ministry.

In spite of loving his parishioners he felt that after 14 years the church needed African-American pastoral leadership so in 1982, Richard and Fonda accepted a call to First Reformed Church in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Richard served as senior pastor there until his semi-retirement in 1998.

The couple then moved back to Inwood, Iowa where Rich served as a part time Visitation Pastor for the Inwood Christian Reformed Church and would often provide pulpit supply for many area churches.

In all of his time in ministry, "Pastor Rich" was not just a title. It was who he was. His relentless passion was for people to know that Jesus Christ is Lord, and the only way to Salvation. Through compassion, kindness, humor and personal touch, Richard showed everyone the love of Christ. Two hallmarks of his ministry were his remembering of people's birthdays and an intense interest in the lives and activities of the young people. Even on his death bed, he had encouraging words for visitors.

Richard was an active member of the Inwood Kiwanis Club. His grandchildren knew him for good times, corny jokes and humorous songs. If not ministering or sorting pop cans he was golfing or working on a crossword puzzle.

Richard is survived by his wife, Fonda (Sandbulte) Kooistra; his sons, Marlo and Kathy (Knyfd) Kooistra of N. Haledon, New Jersey; and Steven and Donna (Galbraith) Kooistra of Shipshewana, Indiana; his daughters, Janice (Tod) Witt of Fairbanks Alaska; Phyllis (Michael) Verderame of Hershey, Penna.; Lois (Edward) Suffern of Queensbury, New York; and Rachel (Armond) Floyd of Waterloo, Iowa.

He is survived by his grandchildren; Lauren Kooistra, Keith and Marisa Kooistra, David and Kara Kooistra, Jennifer Kooistra, Jodie and Samuel Heatwole, Jesse and Anne Kooistra, Julie and Jerry Hostetler, Joshua, Jamee, Josiah, Joel, and Jayden Kooistra; Rebecca, Christopher and Thomas Verderame; Kathryn and Matthew Ulrich, Rachel, Johanna and John Suffern; and Tracy, Harmony, Richard and Aria Floyd, and also survived by 8 great-grandchildren. He is survived by an older brother John and Arlene (DeVries) Kooistra, and younger siblings, Marlene (Kooistra) and Alvin Van't Land, Sister-in-law Ella Mae (Boersma) Kooistra , Harvey and Florence (Faber) Kooistra and Lloyd and Marcine (Tilstra) Kempema.

Richard was preceded in death by his sons Douglas and Phillip Kooistra, his parents Martin and Jennie Kooistra, his brother Willis Kooistra and his father and mother-in-law William and Rebecca Sandbulte.

Source: Porter Funeral Home website

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