Heemstra, Dr. Jacob 1888-1958

HEEMSTRA, BARGE

Posted By: Paul Van Dyke--Volunteer
Date: 4/2/2017 at 23:23:07

Source: Alton Democrat (10-30-1958)

Born: January 2, 1888
Died: 1958

DR. HEEMSTRA, NOTED EDUCATOR AND NATIVE SON, DIES AT COUNTY SEAT

Dr. Jacob Heemstra, President Emeritus of Northwestern College passed away at his home in Orange City early Thursday morning from a heart attack. An ordained minister of the Reformed Church, Dr. Heemstra devoted his life to the education of young men and women and for 23 years served as President of Northwestern College at Orange City.

Jacob Heemstra, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Heemstra, was born January 2, 1888 on a farm 3 miles south of Orange City and spent his childhood here and near Boyden. In 1903 he enrolled at the Northwestern Classical Academy, graduating in the spring of 1906. He graduated from Hope College in Holland, Michigan in 1910. After one year as school superintendent at Sioux Center he studied at Princeton, New Jersey, university and seminary for one year. He returned to Western Theological Seminary in Holland where he graduated and ordained in 1914. He served the Trinity Reformed Church in Chicago from 1914 to 1918. He went to Central College in 1918 and after 4 years was named professor of religion and psychology.

Dr. Heemstra was called to organize N.J.C. at Orange City in the spring of 1928 and continued as its President until the spring of 1951 when he had a severe heart attack. He returned to classroom teaching when Dr. Frederick Wezeman was appointed as president and continued in a full professorship until the summer of 1957 when he went on a retired status--on a part-time basis. Dr. Heemstra was made President Emeritus by the board of trustees in 1952. In June, 1939, he received the Doctor of Divinity Degree from Hope College.

Dr. Heemstra and Hannah Barge Heemstra were the parents of 4 sons, all graduates of the NWCA and Northwestern College. The oldest son, John Gilbert Heemstra lives with his family at Yankton, South Dakota where he is a medical bacteriologist at the clinic; Frank Heemstra an electronics scientist at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C.; Raymond Heemstra and family live at Bartelsville, Oklahoma, where he is a nuclear chemist for the U.S. Bureau of Mines; Howard Heemstra graduated last spring from the Cranberry Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and works for architects.

Surviving are Mrs. Heemstra, the four sons, six grandchildren and two sisters: Lydia Heemstra and Edith (Mrs. John Kuyper) of Santa Ana, California. Preceding in death are his parents and three brothers: Charles, Ben, and Frank Heemstra.

The Heemstra sons arrived to attend their father’s funeral, and also the sister arrived from California. Others from a distance to attend the funeral of their brother-in-law, were Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Barge of Detroit, Michigan and Mr. and Mrs. George Ter Beek of Cleveland, Ohio.

Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at the First Reformed Church with Reverend N. Reck of Trinity Reformed Church and Dr. H. Colenbrander officiating. Interment was made in the Orange City Cemetery under the direction of the Van Etten Funeral Service.