Kroese, Gerald 1926-2019

KROESE, BRUMMEL, TESLAA, DEGROOT, HULSTEIN

Posted By: Marjorie Brunsting-Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:35

Mr. Gerald Kroese, age 92, of Hull, passed away on Friday, June 21, 2019, at the Pleasant Acres Care Center in Hull.

There will be a funeral service on Tuesday, June 25, at 10:30am, at the First Christian Reformed Church in Hull. The Rev. Loren Kotman and the Rev. Dr. Brian Keepers will officiate. Interment will follow the service at the Hope Cemetery in Hull. Visitation with the family will be on Monday, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Hull.

Gerald was born on October 27, 1926, in Hull, the son of Ivan and Alberta (Brummel) Kroese. He was raised on his family’s farm south of Hull and attended country school. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1945.

On August 30, 1949, he married Hendrene Te Slaa in Hull. They farmed east of Sioux Center until 1970, when they moved to a farm north of Hull. In addition to farming, he worked at the Co-op Gas Station in Hull. In 1990, they moved to a home in Hull. Hendrene passed away on November 4, 2002, in Sioux Center.

On May 22, 2004, he married Harriet De Groot Hulstein in Orange City. They made their home in Hull until 2015, when they moved to the Landsmeer Ridge Retirement Community in Orange City. On April 5, of this year, Gerald became a resident of the Pleasant Acres Care Center.

Mr. Kroese was a long-time member of the First Christian Reformed Church in Hull, where he had served as an elder and a deacon. More recently, he was a member of the Trinity Reformed Church in Orange City. He also served as president of the Northwest REC board and as a board member of the Western Christian High School in Hull.

In earlier years, Gerald enjoyed singing with the Kroese Quartet, camping, and wintering in Mission Bell, Texas. He was an avid fan of the Minnesota Twins and Chicago Cubs.

Survivors include his wife of more than fifteen years, Harriet; two children and their spouses, Galen and Connie Kroese, and Shari and Jarvis De Wild, all of Hull; six grandchildren, Ryan Kroese, and his wife, Christine; Marcus Kroese; Jeremy De Wild; Jonathan De Wild, and his wife, Kaitlyn; Jeffrey De Wild, and his wife, Jennifer; and Sarah, and her husband, Cody De Jager; five great-grandchildren, Blake, Austin, and Makenzie De Wild; Whitley De Jager; and Hudson Kroese; two step-children and their spouses, Lynn and Quentin Hatfield, of Germantown, Wisconsin; and Lorna and Bob Leavitt, of Marcus; five step-grandchildren, Tonya, and her husband, Sergei Vlasik; Sean Hatfield, and his wife, Kendra; Jessica Leavitt; Clay Leavitt, and his wife, Kate; and Grant Leavitt, and his wife, Rachel; six step-great-grandchildren, Harper and Alex Vlasik; Luke Hatfield; Jack and Gus Leavitt; and Grayson Leavitt; two sisters, Jo Ludema, of Ann Arbor, Michigan; and Belle, and her husband, Ken Draayer, of Hull; and two sisters-in-law, Lavonne Kroese, of Hull; and Agnes Kroese, of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

In addition to his parents and first wife, he was preceded in death by three brothers, Albert I. Kroese, and his wife, Eleanor; Hilmore Kroese; and Irvin Kroese; and a brother-in-law, Ken Ludema.

Memorials may be directed to the Western Christian High School or Back to God Ministries International.

Source: Oolman Funeral Home online obituary.