Huyser, Jeannette (Dekker) 1906-2002

HUYSER, DEKKER, MEYER

Posted By: volunteer (email)
Date: 8/5/2005 at 21:59:51

PELLA - Jeannette Huyser, 96, of Pella, died Friday, May 3, at Pella Regional Health Center.

Her funeral service was today, May 6, at the First Reformed Church in Pella, the Rev. Kenneth A. Dykstra officiating and the Rev. Ronald Sikkema assisting. Burial: Oakwood Cemetery, Pella. Memorials: First Reformed Church of Pella or the Jicarilla Apache Indians in Dulce, N.M.

Jeannette Dekker was born Jan. 15, 1906, in Cordova in Marion County near Pella, an area now part of Lake Red Rock, to John and Letitia Meyer Dekker. They lived on a farm west of Pella, then moved into Pella and then to a farm near Eddyville. Her father died in 1918. The family then moved back to Pella. Jeannette attended school in Pella, then Eddyville, and completed eighth grade in Yetter, where her father had owned a store. Jeannette graduated Pella High School in 1924. She then taught at the Warren and Silver Grove country schools. She attended Central College in Pella for a year and graduated from Iowa State University in Ames with a degree in home economics education. From 1930 to 1934 she taught in the Reformed Church of America Jicarilla Apache Mission School in Dulce, N.M., and started the school's home economics department.

On Jan. 1, 1935, she married Francis Cornelius Huyser at Collegiate Presbyterian Church in Ames. They lived in Rockford, Ill., for four years, then moved to the Quad Cities in 1938. They adopted a son, James Kenneth, born Jan. 14, 1941. Jeannette was active in church work in Rockford and at Central Presbyterian Church of Rock Island, Ill., including teaching, youth groups and women's groups, at the local and regional level. In 1981 they returned to Pella following Francis' retirement. Jeannette then was active at First Reformed Church in Pella in women's groups, and they enjoyed traveling. She also was a member of the Fort Nightly Club. She enjoyed reading and sewing and made much of her family's clothing. Her eyesight failed over the past few years, which she found frustrating.

She is survived by her husband, Francis, of Pella; her son, James Kenneth Huyser; a daughter-in-law, Phyllis Barenthin of La Crosse, Wis.; four grandchildren: John Kenneth Huyser of Elkart, Wis., Deborah Huyser Johannes of LaCrescent, Minn., Danielle Huyser Giles of Sun City, Ariz., and Kenneth Huyser III of Union, Mo.; seven great-grandchildren; a niece, Vera Jane Johansen of Friend, Neb.; and three nephews: Robert Overkamp Dekker of Bellevue, Neb., John Douglas Dekker of Lyons, Neb., and Fred David Dekker of Mobridge, S.D.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and a brother and sister-in-law: Fred and Helen Gaass Dekker.

The Oskaloosa Herald, May 6, 2002