Kuiper, Cornelia Reintje (Rouw) 1911-2007

KUIPER, ROUW, PLATE

Posted By: Volunteer (email)
Date: 4/26/2008 at 19:33:15

From a family of 9 children, Cornelia Reintje Rouw, the 8th child, was born on January 15, 1911 near Ede, Holland, the Netherlands, to Albertus and Evertje Plate Rouw.

In February of 1913, her parents sold their farm and most of their possessions to bring their family of 8 children to America. An infant son, of 2 months old, had died in 1905. The Rouw family traveled to America aboard the Noordam, landing in New York, and traveled by train to Pella, Iowa. The father, Albertus Rouw, found a job as a farm hand in the Sandridge neighborhood near Sully, Iowa where Cora, as she was known, started school. She later graduated from the Oak Grove Country Grade School in Jasper County, Iowa.

In March of 1918, the family rented their first farm west of Pella and then moved to a farm west of Otley, Iowa where the youngest member of their family was born, completing the family of 14 children, 8 boys and 6 girls. In 1926, they moved to a farm south of Eddyville, Iowa and in 1929 they rented a farm again west of Otley.

The family attended the Otley Reformed Church and this is where Cora met her husband to be, Gradus Kuiper, son of the late Gerrit R. and Nellie Klyn Kuiper. Cora and Grady were united in marriage on September 7, 1932, at the parsonage of the Otley Reformed Church with both their parents as witnesses. To this union six children were born: Nancy Elaine, Arthur Glenn, Larry Gene, Harley Duane, Linda Carol and Marcia Alyce. Grady and Cora farmed in the Otley area for five years and then rented a farm west of Oskaloosa, Iowa where they lived for four years.

They bought their first farm in the Beacon, Iowa area where they lived for two years until they sold that farm and bought a farm northeast of Pella in 1944. They built a new home there in 1947 and continued to farm there until they retired and moved into Pella in 1969. Cora and Grady enjoyed their retirement traveling to several places in the United States and also went to see their relatives in the Netherlands.

Grady passed away on November 15, 1985 at the age of 73 years. Following his death Cora decided to sell their home and moved into Midtowne Apartments where she enjoyed playing cards with friends. She lived there until becoming a resident at Hilltop Manor North.

Cora eventually became a nursing home resident and passed away early Thursday morning, April 5, 2007 in the Long Term Care Unit at the Pella Regional Health Center in Pella. She attained the advanced age of 96 years, months and days.

Those who will cherish her memory are five children and their spouses, 17 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren and 7 great-great-grandchildren. They and their families are: Nancy E. and Howard Brummel of Monroe, Iowa; Arthur G. and Marjorie (Engbers) Kuiper of Pella, Iowa; Larry G. and Ruth (Brouwer) Kuiper of Pella, Iowa; (Harley D. Kuiper) Carla and Mark Hopkins of Pella, Iowa; Linda C. Vander Pol of Gulfport, Mississippi; Marcia A. Riggen of Pella, Iowa.

Cora was preceded in death by her husband, Gradus; her son Harley D. Kuiper, who died July 26, 1998 at the age of 58 years; twin great-grandchildren, Lisa and Bret Brummel, a great-grandson, Cooper Riggen; her parents, Albertus and Effie Rouw; and all of her brothers and sisters: her brother who died in infancy, Alice (Tunis) Goemaat, Gerrit Rouw, Wilma (John) Vander Beek, Minnie (Henry) Menninga, William Rouw, Gerald Rouw, Everett Rouw, Johanna (Gerrit) Septer, Bert Rouw, Dick Rouw, Cornie Rouw and Esther (Bill) McCurdy.

Of her original family Cora leaves two sisters-in-law: Jean (Cornie) Rouw of California, Marjorie (Bert) Rouw of Hedrick, Iowa, a brother-in-law, Gerrit Septer of Montezuma, Iowa; sisters-in-law: Edith (Dick) Kuiper and Marge (Harry) Kuiper both of Pella; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Cora was a faithful member of the Third Reformed Church in Pella where she sang in a trio for many years. As a mother, Cora was busy canning and freezing fruits and vegetables. She sewed a lot of their clothes and loved to raise flowers and did a lot of crocheting.

For those desiring, memorials may be designated for the Long Term Care Unit at the Pella Regional Health Center or the Third Reformed Church in Pella.

The Pella Chronicle, April 27, 2007