Kooiker, John W. 1916-2008

KOOIKER, VANDEWEERD, DEKOSTER

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 2/3/2014 at 15:41:26

Sioux Center News of Feb 28, 2008

John William Kooiker, 90, of Hull, died Friday, February 23, at the Brentwood Good Samaritan Center in Le Mars. A memorial service will be Friday at 10:30 a.m. at the American Reformed Church in Hull with the Rev. Steven Bierly officiating. Interment will be prior to the service at the Hope Cemetery in Hull. Visitation with' the family present will be on Thursday, from 2 to 7 p.m. at the Oolman Funeral Home in Hull.

Kooiker was born on October 17, 1916, west of Hull, the son of Ralph J. and Jennie (Vande Weerd) Kooiker. He attended several rural schools in Northwest Iowa and Jones County, South Dakota, graduating from the eighth grade in O'Brien County.

On June 16, 1939, he married Esther L. De Koster, the daughter of Dick,and Ida (Bregman) De Koster, in Hull. They made their home in Hull, where he worked for various road contractors, before forming his own company in 1949. In 1970, he founded Kooiker, Inc., with his sons Clayton and Calvin. They operated out of Hull and Le Mars, doing bridge and culvert construction and excavation. He took great satisfaction in his work, operating his dragline to dig drainage ditches and farm ponds until he was 86 years old.

He also used his skills in support of community activities, such as preparing the ice skating rink, assisting with swimming pool construction and building blue bird houses for the Sioux County Conservation Board. His wife died on March 9, 1998, in Hull, after more than 58 years of marriage. In August of 2004, he moved-to Le Mars, where he became a resident of Park Place Estates. In May of 2Q06, he transferred to Brentwood.

He was a member of the American Reformed Church in Hull, where he served on the consistory as a deacon and was president of the Men's Brotherhood for some time.

Survivors include his twin sons and their wives, Clayton and Janice Kooiker and Calvin and Dixie Kooiker, all of Le Mars; four grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; two sisters, Jennie Vander Sloot of Lyons, Kansas, and Maxine Napier of Muskogee, Oklahoma; three brothers, Henry Kooiker of Bellflower, California, Arthur (Mina) Kooiker of Sheldon and Elmer (Celia) Kooiker of Missouri Valley; and many nephews and nieces.

He was also preceded in death by a sister, Harriet Van Batavia; a brother, Edwin Kooiker; two sisters in-law, Esther (Boote) Kooiker and Virginia (Sipma) Kooiker; and three brothers-in-law, Jake Van Batavia, Ed Vander Sloot and Ray Napier. Memorials may be directed to the American Reformed Church.