Van Zee, Cornelius, 1863-1951

VANZEE, DEBOER, DEJONG

Posted By: Mary Lou Verburg Volunteer (email)
Date: 2/14/2014 at 14:42:05

Cornelius Van Zee died suddenly of a heart attack January 13 in his room at the Pioneer Home. He was 87. Mr. Van Zee had spent the afternoon at the Harry Muilenburg home at Maurice. He returned to the Home about four o'clock and within 30 minutes he was dead. Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at the Pioneer Home and afterwards in Trinity Reformed Church with Rev. Charles Boonstra officiating. Burial was in Sherman Township Cemetery with A. D. Van Etten in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Van Zee was born in Kalamazoo county, Michigan on December 5, 1863. On April 26, 1892 he was united in marriage to Jennie De Boer of Holland, Mich. To them three daughters were born, two of whom survived, Mrs. Robert V. Barnett (Henrietta) of Rushville, Ind. and Mrs. Richard Vanden Heuvel (Marguerite) of Clifton, N. J.

The family lived on a farm six miles from Kalamazoo near the Twin Lakes church until shortly after the death of Mrs. Van Zee on Sept. 28, 1925.

On July 1, 1927, he was married to Mrs. Dena De Jong of Orange City. She preceded him in death on June 15, 1944. Soon afterwards he moved into the Pioneer Home.

Besides the daughters already mentioned, he leaves six grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Three stepchildren also survive, Mrs. Lee H. Kiel of Chicago, Mrs. Harry Muilenburg, and Rev. Garret E. De Jong of Kuwait, Arabia, eight grandchildren and five great grandchildren. He also had eight brothers and sisters of whom the following remain, Mrs. James Gazalaar, Miss Martha Van Zee and William Van Zee all of Kalamazoo.

He was always active in church life, having been a consistory member for 45 years and a Sunday School teacher for many years. In October, 1950, he took part in the observance of the 100th anniversary of the First Reformed church in Kalamazoo. At the time of his passing, he was a member of the Board of Trustess and of the Executive Comm. of the Northwestern Junior College and Academy.

Source: Sioux County Capital January 18, 1951