Van Pelt, Grace 1903-1994

VAN PELT, WESTERBAAN, HEEMSTRA

Posted By: Viv Reeves (email)
Date: 1/22/2006 at 20:44:57

From the Sioux City Journal, date unknown (Grace died June 21, 1994):

Grace Van Pelt

ALTON--Grace Van Pelt, 91, of Alton died Tuesday, June 21 1994, at Pleasant Acres Care Center in Hull.

Memorial services will be at a later date at VanEtten-Oolman-VanGelder Funeral Home in Orange City, with burial at Rest Haven Memory Gardens in LeMars.

Mrs. Van Pelt was born Jan. 5, 1903, in Carnes, the daughter of Sibren and Dorothy (Westerbaan) Heemstra. She moved with her family to South Dakota in 1911 and to Orange City in 1917, where she graduated from Northwestern Classical Academy. She was then employed at the Vande Steeg Store in Orange City. On Feb. 16, 1928, she married John Richard Van Pelt in Orange City. The couple farmed at Hospers and Carnes until about 1935, when they moved to Alton. He died April 4, 1977, in Orange City and she became a resident of Pleasant Acres in 1979.

Mrs. Van Pelt was a member of the Alton Presbyterian Church.

Survivors include a daughter, Betty Jeane Bowen of Tempe, Ariz.; three grandchildren, Randall and Douglas Koerselman and Debra Streit; a great-grandson, Andrew John Koerselman; and a brother, Bert Heemstra of Pine River, Minn.

She was also preceded in death by six brothers and four sisters.

From the LeMars Sentinel, date unknown (Grace died June 21, 1994):

Grace Van Pelt

ALTON--Grace Van Pelt, 91, of Alton, died June 21, 1994, at Pleasant Acres Care Center, Hull. Memorial services have now been scheduled.

Mrs. Van Pelt was born Jan. 5, 1903, at Carnes, the daughter of Sibren and Dorothy (Westerban) [sic--Westerbaan] Heemstra. In 1911 she and her family moved to South Dakota and in 1917, they moved to Orange City where Grace graduated from Northwestern Classical Academy. She was then employed at the Vande Steeg store in Orange City.

She married John Richard Van Pelt on Feb. 16, 1928 at Orange City. They farmed at Hospers and at Carnes until about 1935 when they moved to Alton. Mr. Van Pelt died April 4, 1977 at Orange City.

Mrs. Van Pelt became a resident of Pleasant Acres in 1979. She was a member of the Alton Presbyterian Church.

Survivors include her daughter, Betty Jeane Bowen of Tempe, Ariz.; three grandchildren, Randall and Douglas Koerselman and Debra Streit; a great-grandson, Andrew John Koerselman, and a brother, Bert Heemstra, of Pine River, Minn.

She also was preceded in death by six brothers and four sisters.

Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at the VanEtten-Oolman-Van Gelder Funeral Home, Orange City, with the Rev. Bradley Carloss officiating. Interment will follow at Rest Haven Memory Gardens near LeMars.