Mellema, Nettie (Mrs. Henry) 1922-2013

MELLEMA, SMIT, VINK, FEDDERS

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 1/6/2014 at 14:29:43

Mrs. Nettie (Smit) Mellema, age 91, of Orange City, passed away on Friday, December 27, 2013, at the Orange City Area Health System Hospital in Orange City.

There will be a memorial service on Tuesday, December 31, at 11:00am, at the Immanuel Christian Reformed Church in Orange City. The Rev. Robert Drenten will officiate. Interment will be prior to the service at the Hospers Cemetery near Hospers. There will be a prayer service on Tuesday, at 9:30am, at the church.

Visitation will be after 4:00pm on Monday, with the family present from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, at the church.

Arrangements are with the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.

Nettie Alvina was born on January 3, 1922, in Orange City, the daughter of John and Nettie (Vink) Fedders. She was raised at Orange City and Alton, graduating from the Orange City Christian School.

On May 4, 1945, she married George Smit at the Alton Reformed Church. They farmed near Hospers, where she was a homemaker. George passed away on April 14, 1973, in Orange City.

On November 29, 1974, she married Henry Mellema in Sioux Center. They made their home in Orange City, where she was employed in the laundry service at the Orange City Municipal Hospital. In September of 2007, they became residents of the Pioneeer Memorial Home in Orange City. In November of 2009, they transferred to the Happy Siesta Care Center in Remsen. Henry passed away on June 16, 2011, in Remsen.

Nettie then moved to the Landsmeer Ridge Retirement Community in Orange City.

She was a member of the Immanuel Christian Reformed Church and a former member of the Hospers Christian Reformed Church. She was active in Bible studies, Coffee Break, the Crossroad Bible Institute, and Friendship Series.

Mrs. Mellema enjoyed baking, handwork, singing, and walking. She was also a senior aide at the Orange City Christian School.

Survivors include her two sons and their wives, David and Marian Smit, of Sioux Center; and Don and Myra Smit, of Alamosa, Colorado; two step-sons and their wives, Melvin and Linda Mellema, of Maurice; and Brian and Barb Mellema, of Sioux Center; six grandchildren and their spouses, Jana (Travis) Peck, Jeff (Gina) Smit, Joel (Stefanie) Smit, Jennifer (Justin) Nemeth, Leslie (Jonathan) Velasquez, and Lance (Melissa) Smit; five step-grandchildren and their spouses, Teresa (Stacey) Jasper, Tammy (Rick) Fowler, Cherie (Gary) Van Donkelaar, Maggie (Jesse) Hagey, and Lee (Jenni) Mellema; 25 great-grandchildren; and two sisters and their husbands, Marie and John Maassen, of Sioux Center; and Johanna and Frank De Haan, of Hudsonville, Michigan.

In addition to her parents, step-father, Dick Verdoorn, and husbands, she was preceded in death by a step-son, Robert Mellema; a grandson, Loren Smit; two brothers, Dick and Gerald Fedders; a sister, Bernice Pruis; and a special family friend, Dick Prins.

Memorials will be directed to the Orange City Christian School and the Crossroad Bible Institute.