Nikkel, Albert 1920-2001

NIKKEL, VAN ZANTE, GROENENDYK

Posted By: volunteer (email)
Date: 8/11/2005 at 20:19:10

Albert Nikkel, 80, of Tracy, died Tuesday morning at Mahaska Hospital in Oskaloosa.

A funeral for Mr. Nikkel will be Friday, April 13 at 10:30 a.m. at Union Liberty Church in Bussey. Rev. Paul Hughes will officiate with assistance from Rev. Ronald Vander Hart. Interment will be in Sandridge Cemetery near Tracy. Visitation will begin Thursday morning and continue all day. The family will be present Thursday evening from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Van Dyk-Duven Funeral Home in Pella.

Albert Henry Nikkel was born Sept. 12, 1920 in his parents' farmhouse north of Sully. He was the oldest of three children born to Willem Henry and Carrie Marie Van Zante Nikkel. Nick, as he became known, attended the Sully Christian Grade School at Sully. As a teenager, he moved with his parents to Brooklyn where he attended Brooklyn High School. He played football there and enjoyed these times as a youth. When his family moved to Grinnell, Nick completed his formal education at Grinnell high School.

On December 19, 1943, he married Anna Pauline Groenendyk in Unionville, Mo. They were both living in Tracy at the time. To this union three daughters were born, Connie Lavon, Paulette Arlene and Lois Jayne. He settled his family on the farmstead just outside of Tracy. Nick and Anna continued to live at Tracy the rest of their married lives.

During his 80 years, Nick was a hard worker and showed this trade as a self-employed dozer operator as well as running a dozer for New Laning Coal. He later worked as a mechanic at Severn's John Deere in Knoxville and also as a postal truck driver. On 1970, he began work at the Rolscreen Company in Pella and worked there until his retirement in 1985. Following his retirement, he and Anna spent 13 winters in Mission, Texas.

He was devoted to his family and his wife, Anna Pauline; their three daughters and sons-in-law; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren: Connie and Ralph Stout of Tracy, Bryan Stout, Blaine and Billie Sue (Lyles) Stout and Cloee Stout; Paulette and Marty Williams of Tracy, Jamie and Doug Kendall, Rollins Kendall, Clint Williams and Sarah Williams; Jayne and Steve Rozenboom of Bussey, Angela Rozenboom and Adam Rozenboom and his brother, Delis Nikkel and his sister, Cornelia Marie De Jong, both of Tracy.

He was preceded in death by his parents and an infant grandson, Matthew James Rozenboom, who was still born in 1974.

Mr. Nikkel was also an active member of the Union Liberty Church in Bussey, an avid John Deere tractor collector and attended the Old Threshers gatherings in Mt. Pleasant.

He also enjoyed gospel music.

Memorials may be made to the Union Liberty Church.

The Oskaloosa Herald, April 11, 2001