Katje, Edna (Mrs. Frank Lester) 1923-2021

KATJE, SCHEERINGA, SIEBERSMA

Posted By: Marjorie Brunsting-Volunteer (email)
Date: 8/10/2021 at 10:32:39

Mrs. Edna Katje, age 97, of Orange City, passed away on Saturday, July 31, 2021, at the Orange City Area Heath System.

There will be a memorial service on Tuesday, August 10, at 11:00am, at the Redeemer United Reformed Church in Orange City. The Rev. Todd De Rooy will officiate. Interment will be prior to the service at West Lawn Cemetery in Orange City. There will be a family prayer service on Tuesday, at 10:00am, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City. Visitation with the family will be on Monday, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm, at the funeral home.

Edna was born on September 12, 1923, in rural Orange City, the fifth of nine children born to Cornelius and Maggie (Scheeringa) Siebersma. She was raised on a farm near Carnes and attended country school. She worked at the Sunrise Hatchery in Orange City, candling eggs.

She was united in marriage to Frank Lester Katje, on June 30, 1942, in Orange City. They first made their home in Orange City, where they owned Katje Painting and operated a mink ranch. In 1965, the family moved to Escondido, California, where they owned a chicken ranch and Edna sold Avon, making new friends and earning many rewards. In 1969, they returned to Orange City, where they operated the Sav-On Discount Grocery Store. They went back to California in 1973 and settled in Orange City once again in 2002. They also enjoyed wintering in Mesa, Arizona, and spending their summers in Birch Haven, Minnesota. Frank passed away on June 15, 2012, after more than 69 years of marriage, in Orange City.

Mrs. Katje was a member of the Redeemer United Reformed Church. Through the years she was active in church choirs and Bible studies. She was also part of Project Phillip and the Ladies Aide while in California. She enjoyed reading, bowling, knitting, playing games of Yahtzee with family, doing crosswords and sudoku, and golfing and fishing with Frank. She was always available to help out when a new grandbaby was born.

Survivors include her five children and their spouses, Ronald and Judy (Reinking) Katje, of Seal Beach, California; Cheri and Darrell Van Klompenburg, of Chandler, Arizona; and Karen and Arlin Klein, Edwin and Heather (Hogan) Katje, and Beverly and Bert Van Dam, all of Orange City; a daughter-in-law, Anita (Bons) Katje, of San Marcos, California; 23 grandchildren, Jason and Melanie (Ferrer) Katje; Michel and Marci (Raymond) Katje; Jana and Brian Shea; Elessa and Darren Marker; Deron and Catherine Van Klompenburg; Faith and David (Cochran) Van Klompenburg; Steven and Shelly Katje; Kristi and Joe Arns; Daniel and September Katje; Angela and Liam Igoe; David Katje; Zachery and Megan Katje; Abby Katje; Tamara and Chad Rauk; Timothy and Melissa Klein; Dustin and Regan Katje; Austin and Elizabeth Katje; Melissa and Douglas Brummel; Nicolaas and Bethany Van Dam; Joshua Van Dam; Christopher and Chelsea Van Dam; Jeremy Van Dam; and Jennifer Van Dam; fifty great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; a brother and his wife, JR and Audrey Siebersma, of Orange City; a sister, Marilyn Faber, of Escondido; and a sister-in-law, Agnes (Katje) Van Zee Damkot, of Rock Valley.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by three sons, Kenneth Dale Katje, Arlyn Frank Katje, and Conley Eugene Katje; two grandsons, Anthony Gene Katje and Robert James Van Dam; her six siblings and their spouses, Sophie and Richard Van Zee, Lucille and Elmer Vande Brake, Hermina and Nelson Muilenburg, Steve and Lois Siebersma, Stanley and Nelvy Siebersma, Marjorie and Elmer Hofland; a brother-in-law, Chester Faber; and Frank’s brother and his wife, Gerald and Louise Katje; and two brothers-in-law, Alvin Van Zee and Warren Damkot.

Memorials may be directed to Rehoboth Christian School in Rehoboth, New Mexico.

Source: Oolman Funeral Home online obituary.