Ann (Katsma) KOOIMA

KOOIMA, KATSMA, KUIK, HOOGLAND, FASSLER, ACKERMAN, BOONSTRA, BOORSMA, WINKEL, LEYSTRA, VANDER GALIEN, MOAT, WESTRA, SLAGER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/12/2013 at 14:53:02

June 15, 1938 --- June 3, 2013

Ann Kooima, 74, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota died from complications resulting from emergency surgery on Monday, June 3 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Wayne, New Jersey. The family will be present for visitation from 4:00 – 8:00 pm on Monday, June 10th at the George Boom Funeral Home in Sioux Falls. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday at First Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Falls at 10:00 am with the Rev. Calvin Hoogendoorn officiating. There will be a time of fellowship and refreshments following the service. Interment will follow at Valley View Cemetery in Rock Valley, Iowa, with the graveside service officiated by Ron De Wit scheduled for 2:00 pm.

Ann (Katsma) Kooima was born on June 15, 1938 in Cambria, Wisconsin to Sam and Mary (Kuik) Katsma. She spent her childhood years on a dairy farm, and attended Columbia County Teachers College in Columbus, Wisconsin. She taught elementary school at Kanawha, IA Christian School and at East Paris, MI Christian School. She then moved to Churchill, Montana where she taught at Manhattan Christian School. It was there she met her future spouse, Sebert Kooima. She joined with him in a lifelong calling and commitment to covenant training through Christian Education.

Sebert and Ann were married in Cambria, Wisconsin on June 5, 1963, and Ann faithfully and cheerfully served in their Montana home for the next 23 years. The majority of those years were spent nurturing and caring for the four children with whom the family was blessed. In 1986, they moved to Sussex, New Jersey where Ann provided support and encouragement to her husband who was employed as the Sussex Christian School administrator. Throughout the next 17 years, Ann blessed the Sussex school and church community, willingly lending a helping hand whenever asked. Sebert & Ann retired to Sioux Falls, SD in 2003, where they became actively involved at First Christian Reformed Church. Ann served as a Lay Shepherd and a MOPS Mentor, was active in the Seniors Groups, and seldom missed an opportunity to provide a meal or encouraging word when she saw a need. Sebert and Ann also loved to travel. Over the course of the last 50 years, they have had the privilege of visiting all 50 states as well as enjoying a tour of Western Europe.

Ann cherished her role as mother and grandmother. Her love for her family was evident in her many visits, and most significantly, the daily prayers raised on behalf of her children and grandchildren. Over the years she was able to be there for births, baptisms, professions of faith, birthday celebrations, graduations, musical programs, sporting events, and many other of her grandchildren’s faith and educational milestones. Ann could always be counted on to put off whatever she was doing in order to talk to, or play a game with whichever child or grandchild required her attention. When not attending to her family, Ann was frequently seen “speed walking” through the neighborhood, regardless of the weather. When she was indoors, Ann could most often be found in the kitchen trying a new recipe, canning, making jellies, or knitting her signature dish clothes.

Along with her husband of nearly 50 years, Sebert, Ann is survived by 4 children and 11 grandchildren; Paul & Vonda (Hoogland) Kooima and their children, Hailee, PJ and Kaycee of Sioux Center, Iowa; Scott & Barb (Fassler) Kooima and their children, Kylla and Makenzie of Moses Lake, Washington; Pamela (Kooima) & Tim Ackerman and their children, Katelyn, Sam and Maggie of Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Krystyn (Kooima) Boonstra and her children, Ben, Cole and Molly of North Haledon, New Jersey. Ann is survived by brothers Clarence, Gerald and Dewey Katsma and sisters Katie Boorsma, Elsie Winkel, Dorothy Leystra, Evelyn Vander Galien and Carol Moat; all of whom reside in Wisconsin. She was preceded in death by her parents, Sam and Mary Katsma, brother Ted Katsma and sisters Jennie Westra and Gertie Slager.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that memorials be sent to The Luke Society – 3409 S. Gateway, Sioux Falls, SD 57106.

http://www.georgeboom.com/sitemaker/sites/George3/obit.cgi?user=1006820Kooima