De Jong, Vera Naomi 1926-2014

DE JONG, VROOM, VANDER LINDEN, VER MEER, ENGBERS, VAN HASSTERT, MARTIN, KALUHIWA, TILMA, NIKKEL, DAHM

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 6/28/2015 at 07:38:53

Obituary for Naomi De Jong

Vera Naomi Vroom was the second of two children born to Cornie W. and Jennie Vander Linden Vroom. Naomi was born July 7, 1926, on the family farm at Pella, Iowa.

She began her education at Valley View Country School and attended Pella Community High School where she graduated in 1944 as class valedictorian.

Naomi went to work at the Iowa Des Moines National Bank in Des Moines, Iowa. She lived with her girlfriends. Great stories and good times, these were some of her fondest memories.

She moved back to Pella to work at Pella National Bank and met Frank John De Jong on a Friday night in Central Park. Naomi and Frank were married on March 17, 1947, at the home of her sister and brother-in-law, Viola and Henry B. Ver Meer.

Naomi and Frank moved to the family farm and took over the operation. Naomi was an integral part of the farm’s success, from keeping the books to warming newborn piglets in the most ingenious ways.

Throughout their marriage Naomi and Frank made family and friends the center of their lives. Naomi enjoyed spending time with friends after church for coffee and serving on committees for the Pella Community Hospital Auxiliary and Hospice of Pella. She was a member and past president of the Pella Women’s Club. She and Frank were long-time members of the First Christian Reformed Church.

From family fishing trips to Minnesota to weekend getaways, travel was an important part of their lives. Not many roads were left untraveled in the Western United States. Adventures to Europe and Mexico were an important part of their experiences.

They were blessed with two children Douglas V. De Jong and Carol Diane De Jong. Naomi was proud of her children, how hard they worked and how accomplished they were. She kept track of them by visits, phone calls and emails.

Naomi’s greatest passion was being a grandmother. She attended recitals, plays and various performances and her grandchildren were always the star in her eyes. One of the great rites of passage was the annual trip to the Iowa State Fair with the grandchildren. Naomi always knew where the air conditioned buildings were as well as how many quarters were needed for the giant slide. The general consensus was that great times were had by all.

She worked at De Jong Floral for many years where great friendships were formed, along with wonderful memories and many fun and crazy times. The three Vroom women, Doris, who was no relation, Vi, and Naomi, created and delivered many happy moments over the years. When the shop was on the square, one of the craziest times was always the combination of Tulip Time and Mother’s Day all rolled into one. It was always the logistic event of the year. The grandkids however thought it was fabulous to get to go to work with Grandma, sweeping the floor, creating their own interpretation of floral design and the most important event “coffee time”. It was agreed that it was the best part of the working experience.

Those who cherish her memory are her two children: Douglas and his wife Patricia (Engbers) De Jong of Iowa City and their two children, Nicole De Jong of Portland, Oregon and Jessica De Jong and husband Jason Van Hasstert of Seattle, Washington; Carol De Jong of San Diego, California and her two children, Jamie (De Jong) Martin and husband Kevin Martin of San Francisco and Alex De Jong and wife Rodlyn (Kaluhiwa) of Seattle, Washington. Of her immediate family Naomi leaves a niece Karyn (Ver Meer) Renaud and her husband, Larry Renaud; and the following sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Effie (De Jong) and John H. Vermeer, John J. and JoAnn De Jong and Marilyn (Gerald) De Jong all of Pella.

Naomi was preceded in death by her husband, Frank De Jong, her parents, Cornie W. and Jennie Vroom and her sister, Viola (Vroom) and her husband, Henry B. Ver Meer; her parents-in-law Garrett D. and Rena Tilma De Jong; and the following sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Nellie E. (De Jong) Nikkel, Cora J. (De Jong) and Arie Dahm, Dick A. and Estallene De Jong and Gerald J. De Jong. O

n Wednesday, March 26, 2014, Naomi died peacefully at the Oskaloosa Care Center in Oskaloosa, Iowa at the age of 87 years and 8 months. We will miss her dearly.

A visitation will be held Friday, March 28, 2014, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at Van Dyk-Duven Funeral Home

Interment will be made in the Oakwood Cemetery at Pella, Iowa

A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 10, 2014. ~ The Van Dyk-Duven Funeral Home, Pella, Iowa 26 mar 2014.