Jeanette Draayer

Jeanette Draayer, 79, of Sioux Center, IA died Wednesday, August 6, 2014, at Pleasant Acres Care Center in Hull, IA. 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 funeral service will be held on Saturday at 10:30AM at the Bethel Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center with Rev. John Lee officiating. Interment will follow the funeral service in Memory Gardens Cemetery of Sioux Center. The Draayer family prefers memorials to Sioux Center Christian School Foundation. Jeanette Draayer was born to Art and Henrietta (Vander Grift) Eenkhoorn on July 11, 1935 in Sioux Center. Her father passed away when she was just 4 years old. She attended Sioux Center Christian School to the eighth grade. To support her mother and family she worked as a mother's helper for various area families. As a young lady, she also worked as dental assistant for Dr. De Mots. Jeanette married Wilbur Draayer on December 21, 1954. They were blessed with five children. Wilbur passed away August 20, 2011. Jeanette was a caregiver most of her life; caring for her children, mother and a special uncle Henry. She also gave great care to many of her grandchildren, and her husband. She was an excellent cook and her family will always remember her fried chicken dinners and delicious cookies, bars, and desserts. She loved playing games with her children and grandchildren and they loved that she took the time to play with them. She enjoyed going to sporting and music events of her children and grandchildren. Family vacations to Minnesota were very special to her. Jeanette treasured coffee time with her friends and her sister. She was a fan of Minnesota Twins Baseball and loved listening to music by the Gaithers and Signature Sound. She often made goodies for these vocal groups when they were performing in the area. In January of 2011, Jeanette became a resident of Pleasant Acres in Hull, Iowa. Her room became a social gathering place for many of the nurses where they enjoyed her company and sharing her peanut butter M & M's. Jeanette was quiet about vocalizing her faith but showed it by her actions: hosting Dordt College students for Sunday dinners, baking goodies for the sick and shut-ins, visiting people in the nursing home, and selflessly loving and caring for her family. Left to cherish Jeanette's memory are her children: David and Brenda Draayer of Sioux Center, Michael and Julie Draayer of Sioux Falls, Timothy Draayer and special friend, Beth Kantor of Sioux Center, Ruth Draayer of Pocatello, Idaho, and Rebecca and Michael Harman of Hull; special family friend, Jo Anne Fletcher; 13 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; her sister, Christina Velgersdyk of Rock Valley; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Dorothy Draayer of Orange City, Katherine Calkhoven of Sioux Center, Ann De Weerd, Gertrude Draayer, and Lillian Draayer all of Rock Valley, Gladys De Weerd, Cynthia and Gerrit Kruid, Gary and Sandy Draayer all of Sioux Center, and Ken and Belle Draayer of Hull and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; an infant brother; her uncle, Henry Vander Grift; and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Harvey Velgersdyk, Wilmina and Henry Kramer, Nick Draayer, John Calkhoven, John De Weerd, John Draayer, Ed Draayer, and Gerald De Weerd.