Gloria Vander Plaats

Gloria Vander Plaats, 67, of Sioux Center, IA died Tuesday, November 4, 2014, at her Sioux Center residence. A visitation will be held on Friday from 4-8PM, with the family present from 5-7PM at the Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center. A family prayer service will be held Saturday at Covenant Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center. Interment will follow the prayer service in Memory Gardens Cemetery of Sioux Center. Memorial service will be held on Saturday at 11AM at Covenant Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center with Rev. Kory Plockmeyer officiating. The Vander Plaats family prefers memorials to The Luke Society, The American Arthritis Foundation or the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Gloria Jean (Faber, Ackerman) Vander Plaats was born May 19, 1947 in Fullerton, California to Francis and Audrey (Hop) Faber. The family moved to the Midwest to farm in 1951. She attended Inwood Christian School, Hills Christian School, and Western Christian High School. After graduating from high school she attended Pine Rest School of Nursing in Grand Rapids, Michigan where she received her LPN degree. On July 26, 1967, she married Barney (Bud) Ackerman, Jr. They lived at various places as Bud, in the military, was transferred from base to base. Two sons, Timothy and Bradley, were born to Bud and Gloria. When Bud was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1969, she and her two sons moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. On September 25, 1971, she married Dennis Vander Plaats. They lived in Sioux Falls where Dennis was a teacher at Calvin Christian School. Two sons, Daniel and Dustin, were born while in Sioux Falls. In 1976, they moved to Orange City, Iowa when Dennis took a teaching position at Orange City Christian School. During the twelve years they lived in Orange City, she worked as an LPN at the Orange City Hospital. Two sons, Nathan and Joshua, were born while in Orange City. In 1988, they moved to McBain, Michigan where Dennis took a teaching position at Northern Michigan Christian School. She worked at the Medical Arts Clinic in Cadillac, Michigan during the five years they lived in McBain. In 1993, they moved to Sioux Center, Iowa when Dennis began teaching at Dordt College. While in Sioux Center, Gloria continued her education, receiving a BSN from the University of Iowa in 2004. She also continued her nursing career, working primarily as an occupational health nurse. Gloria was also active for several years as a volunteer in the Arthritis Foundation Aquatics Program at the All-Seasons Center in Sioux Center. Gloria's interests included working in her flower garden, cooking and baking, reading, traveling, and especially spending time with her children and grandchildren. In May of 2014, Gloria was diagnosed with signet cell carcinoma, a cancer of the appendix. She now leaves behind a loving husband of 43 years, Dennis, together with six sons and their families: Tim and Pam Ackerman and three children (Katelyn, Sam, Maggie) of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Brad Ackerman and three children (Roslyn, Cassie, Sara) of Alton, Iowa; Dan and Denise Vander Plaats and two children (Ben, Emma) of Palos Heights, Illinois; Dusty and Joanna Vander Plaats and two children (Erin, Ella) Grand Rapids, Michigan; Nathan and Shawna Vander Plaats and one child (Keegan) of Sioux City, Iowa; and Josh and Kaarin Vander Plaats of Sioux Center, Iowa. She also leaves behind one great-granddaughter, Melanie Punt, the daughter of Roslyn (Ackerman) and Brad Punt. Also left behind are her parents, Francis and Audrey Faber of Sioux Center; brother and sister-in-law, William and Catherine Faber of Pacific Grove, CA; sister and brother-in-law, Judi and Ed Boersma of Fridley, MN; sister-in-law, Darla Faber of Luverne, MN as well as in-laws and numerous nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her former husband, Barney (Bud) Ackerman Jr.; sister, Crystal Faber; a brother, Robert Faber; grandson, Breiton Ackerman and great granddaughter, Paige Punt.