Garneth Oostenink 1923 - 2020

OOSTENINK, RIKKERSM

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 7/21/2020 at 20:37:24

Sioux City Journal
6 June 2020

Garneth Oostenink

Sioux City

Garneth Oostenink, 96, of Sioux City, died Thursday, June 4, 2020, at Sunrise Retirement Community.

Graveside services will be 11 a.m. Monday in Hope Cemetery, Hull, Iowa. Visitation will be 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Morningside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Homes, 1801 Morningside Ave.

Miss Oostenink was born on Aug. 16, 1923, in Hull, the daughter of Gerrit and Hattie (Rikkers) Oostenink. She attended Hull Christian Grammar School and Hull Public High School. Garneth graduated from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., and received a master's degree in social work from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Before entering college, she worked as secretarybookkeeper at Kooiker Manufacturing Company in Hull. When she witnessed her sister Lorraine's graduation from Calvin, she decided that she wanted a college degree, also, so she entered college at the age of 33. Her post-university positions were in social work in Michigan and 19 years of social work with Western Hills Education Agency in Sioux City.

She and her sister, Lorraine, lived together most of their lives and were best friends. They moved together to Sioux City in 1969 to be near to their aging parents who still lived in Hull. In 2007, they moved to Sunrise Retirement Community, where they enjoyed their retirement years.

Garneth had been a long-time member of Morningside Reformed/Sunnybrook Community Church, where she sang in the choir and was involved in church activities and volunteer work. Past memberships in both professional and civic organizations included local, state, and national Association of Social Workers, the ARC organization, Retired School Personnel, St. Luke's Hospital Auxiliary, and the Sioux City Women's Club.

Garneth is survived by her brother, Dr. Bill Oostenink of Hamilton, N.Y.; her six nieces and nephews along with their spouses and children; and many other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and her sisters, Verna Bouma, Lorraine Oostenink, and Bonnie Geels; and three nephews.

The family has requested that memorials be directed to the Sunnybrook Community Church or Sunrise Retirement Community.