Kooima, Charles 1908-1966

KOOIMA, KOOISTRA

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 1/31/2014 at 07:18:16

Rock Valley Bee of Jun 23, 1966

The Rock Valley community was shocked and saddened Friday evening by the report that Charles Kooima had been stricken by a fatal heart attack. He was flying with an instructor, Russel Zanger of Larchwood, when the attack occurred. A short time after Zanger landed at the Sioux Falls airport where a Sioux Palls doctor coincidental happened to be the first to assist Mr. Kooima as pronounced dead upon arrival at the Sioux Valley hospital. He was 57 years old.

Mr. Kooima was born here at Rock Valley December 10, 1908 in 1929 he married Anna Kooistra. At that time he was farming and trucking in the Rock Valley and Hawarden areas. Before moving to Grand Rapids Mich., in 1940 he was employed at what was then known as the Cert Elevator. He left his family in Rock Valley for a short while until a home could be rented Grand Rapids. While there he worked very long and hard hours in machine shops, observing an earning all he could. In 1943 he started a small machine shop In a rented garage. This was the beginning of another long and hard struggle. His start was made doubly difficult by the fact that the family had left Rock Valley with debt, was struggling for a living. The business in Grand Rapids started to prosper, however, and by 1946 Mr. Kooima was ready to move back to his home town of Rock Valley.

Mr. Kooima was very active in the business. Although in later years he did assign authority and responsibility to others his great resource se of advice, and help was always needed and will be greatly missed. His deep interest in church and community affair also kept him very busy. Hope Haven Christian School for the handicapped was dearly loved by him. The proposed Hegg Memorial Hospital took many hours of his time and effort. In 1060 he was presented with Rock Valley “Man of the Year" award. "

Mr. Kooima. was not only the city's largest employer, he was key man in community betterment programs, and gave generously to all projects. He was a life-long member of the Christian Reformed church, and served as elder and vice president of the church council at Calvin C. R. Church here. He was chairman of the building committee of that church. Mr. Kooima served on the board of directors of Valley Manor retirement home, and was on the committee which worked for the swimming pool several years ago.

Survivors include the widow; two sons. Jack and John of Rock Valley; three daughters, Mrs. C. Van Zanten and Mrs. Roger De Zeeuw of Rock Valley, and Mrs. H. Lee Aardema of Grand Rapids, Mich.; four, brothers, Sam, Tony, Gerrit and Ted of Rock Valley; two sisters, Mrs. Robert Jacobsma of Rock Valley and Mrs. John W. Dekkers of Hawarden, Iowa, and 11 grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at tie First Reformed Church. . The Rev. B. J. Haan officiated. Pallbearers were Interment was in Valley View Cemetery .