Celia Anne Kooiman Van Essen Was born to William P. and Gertrude (Huisken) Kooiman on April 4, 1928, on an acreage in Edgerton, Minnesota where she attended school through the tenth grade. For the remaining two years of high school, Celia lived with her uncle in Hull, Iowa and graduated from Western Christian High School. On June 8, 1947, she was united in marriage to Oscar Van Essen at the First Christian Reformed church in Edgerton. Following their marriage, they moved to Leota, Minnesota....

Reona Mae Schelhaas was born on a farm near Chandler MN on April 30, 1935 to Martha (Schoolmeester) and William Olivier. She attended country school through the third grade before attending school in Edgerton MN, graduating from Edgerton Public High School in 1953. She was employed at the Edgerton Phone office. On August 26, 1955, Reona married Bert Schelhaas. Following their wedding, they moved to Minneapolis, where Bert attended Dental school at the University of Minnesota. Bert and Reona...

Larry Arlin Schoolmeester passed away at age 76 on July 11, 2021. He will be remembered as husband, father, grandfather, always up for one-on-one basketball, and Papa Pancake. Larry was born on December 3, 1944, to Harry and Mildred Schoolmeester in Pipestone, Minnesota. He was the youngest of three children, with one brother and one sister. The family was active in the First Reformed Church and while his mother played organ for services, the rest of the family sang in the choir. He...

On July 9, 2021, surrounded by his wife and children, Douglas Gordon Keith took his last breath and was greeted by his heavenly father.  Doug was released from illness and pain that had plagued him for quite some time.   Doug was born on December 10, 1944, to Maxwell and Ruby Keith in San Diego, California, where Maxwell had been stationed during his service in the Army Air Corps during World War II.  As an infant, Douglas and his family moved to Worthington,...

Lloyd Vernon Van Essen was the youngest of 4 boys born to Ray and Grace (Vanden Bosch) Van Essen on  March 19, 1935 in Pipestone County, MN where he was raised and attended  the Edgerton Christian Elementary School in Edgerton MN.  On Feb. 18, 1955 Lloyd was united in marriage to Laura De Kam in Edgerton.  Following their marriage they crop and dairy farmed west of Edgerton.  In the fall of 1978, Lloyd and Laura moved off the farm and into Edgerton.  Before...

Long time resident of Leota, Minnesota, Dewey Dooyema, age 91, was received in the arms of the Lord on Sunday June 20, 2021 while residing at the Good Samaritan Society Mary Jane Brown Home in Luverne, Minnesota.  Born to Clarence & Mina (Berghorst) Dooyema on April 9, 1930 near Leota, Minnesota on the Family Farm.  He attended  Country School in Leota and graduated from Edgerton, Minnesota High School. Dewey was united in marriage to Doris Sundem...

Carolyn Mae (Bolt - Vander Haar) Van Dam was born on July 3, 1937 to John and Henrietta (De Groot) Bolt of rural Leota, MN.  She was one of seven children and grew up on the farm and graduated from Southwest Christian High School in Edgerton, MN in 1954.  During those high school years and as a youth in Ebenezer CRC Carolyn made her profession of faith declaring Jesus as her Lord and Savior.  After high school, Carolyn taught primary grades for one year at Leota...

Genevieve Estella (Kooiman) Sas was born August 12, 1920 to Abe and Martina (Mouw) Kooiman on the family farm seven miles northeast of Leota where she was the second child of six children.  Genevieve began working on the farm when she was about five years old. She attended Leota Christian School. After that, she continued to help on the farm and assisted with household duties and caring for her younger siblings.  She married Anthony F. Sas on June 14, 1945.   They were...

 Elizabeth Hendrene De Boer was born January 25, 1941, to Rev. Peter W. and Esther Vis in Iowa. She was the oldest of what would eventually become a tightly-knit family with nine children. Liz grew up in Sioux County, Iowa, and Manhattan, Montana. At a Protestant Reformed Young People’s Retreat in Montana, she noticed Melvin De Boer. Liz was drawn to his gorgeous wavy hair and beautiful teeth - it was also a plus in her eyes that he was a “PK” (preacher's kid)...

Wayzata resident and scooter pilot Patricia Ann “I can’t talk” VandenBerg Pool, 80, died April 22, 2021 at Lake Minnetonka Shores. An informal service was held at The Shores attended by family, residence, and staff. Born August 19,1940 in Bellflower, California to Mike VandenBerg and Wilma Roskamp. A WWII baby and an only child, she traveled with her parents when they moved from Long Beach, California to Kansas City, Missouri to support the war effort. Ultimately landing in...