Maris Vander Kooi

Maris Vander Kooi, 75, of Sioux Center, IA died Sunday, September 14, 2014, at Sioux Center Health. A visitation will be held on Thursday from 4-8PM, with the family present from 6-8PM at the Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center. A funeral service will be held on Friday at 2:30PM at the First Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center with Rev. Carl Klompien officiating. A private family committal service will be held at a later date in Memory Gardens Cemetery of Sioux Center. In lieu of flowers or gifts the Vander Kooi family prefers memorials to Sioux Center Christian School Foundation, Western Christian High School, Unity Christian High School or Dordt College. Maris Elaine (Hager) Vander Kooi was born on February 2, 1939 in Manton, Michigan to Dr. Ralph and Cornelia Hager. Her family moved to Hudsonville, MI to begin a medical practice there, but with her father's induction in WWII, she traveled about the country from military post to post. She started school at Yuma, Arizona, but was soon transferred to a Christian school in Michigan for a short time, when her father was shipped to France in the Medical Corp. She completed her elementary and high education in the Hudsonville Christian School and Unity Christian High. After high school she attended Calvin College and then transferred to Mercy Central School of Nursing where she completed training and internship to gain her RN degree. After graduation she continued to work in the OB department at St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Rapids, MI. On December 16, 1960, she married Daryl Vander Kooi and moved to Grand Rapids. In 1963, Maris and Daryl moved to Manhattan/Churchill, Montana where she became a stay-at-home mother to their two daughters, Michelle and Dalaine, as well as doing some private duty nursing, volunteering in the community, leading Coffee Break Bible studies and leading Calvinettes. In June of 1971, son Shane was born and then the family moved to Iowa. For some years, she continued as a mother at home and continued to work with Bible studies. Once all children were in school, Maris worked for Home Health and then went to work in the nursing home wing of the Sioux Center Hospital. In 2002, she retired to very active volunteering with: Wycliffe Bible Translators, Rehoboth Christian School, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (now World Renew), Lyon County Conservation Board at Pahoja, and other places. She was also very involved in the Laotian community in Sioux Center. Maris leaves behind her husband Daryl of Sioux Center; a daughter Michelle McMurrey of Sioux Falls and her daughters: Jessica Vander Weide, Lindsey Vander Weide, and Shannon Vander Weide, and one grandson Daishoun Vander Weide; a son, Shane and his wife Kristi of Sioux Center with their children: Heather, Shauna, Jonah, and Megan; son-in-law, Derrick Pfiel of Sioux Center, brother and sister-in-law, Terry and Ruth Hager of California as well as Maris' nephews: Jim and Angie Hager and their children, Nicolas and Lexi and Brian Hager. She was preceded in death by her parents; an older brother Keith who died in infancy; a daughter who died in childbirth; and a daughter, Dalaine Pfeil who died in 2001. She now continues her love and life in the Lord. Praise Him.