Johanna Vande Kieft

Johanna Vande Kieft, 89, of Sioux Center, Iowa, died Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at Royale Meadows Care Center in Sioux Center. A visitation will be held on Thursday from 4-8PM with the family present from 5-6:30PM at the Bethel Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center. A prayer service for family and friends will be held on Friday at 1:30PM at Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center. Interment will follow the prayer service in Memory Gardens Cemetery of Sioux Center. A Memorial Service will be held Friday at 2:30PM at Bethel Christian Reformed Church with Rev. Duane Tinklenberg officiating. The Vande Kieft family prefer memorials be directed to the Bethel Christian Reformed Church Christian Education Fund. Jo Vande Kieft was born on April 27, 1922 to John and Marie Haverhals on a farm near Lebanon, Iowa, where she was raised and went to school through the 8th grade. She married John Vande Kieft on Dec. 14, 1943, and continued to live with her family until John returned from serving in WWII. They farmed together for 35 years and moved to Sioux Center in 1980 where they worked for the city and took care of Children's Park for 13 years. Jo volunteered at the Sioux Center hospital, Justice for All and Friendship Bible Study. Jo lived at Crown Pointe and Royale Meadows for six years. She loved doing handwork, gardening, visiting with friends and relatives and jigsaw puzzles. Jo was a member of Lebanon Christian Reformed Church and later Bethel Christian Reformed Church. Survivors include her three daughters: Phyllis and her husband, Jim O'Connor of Cheyenne, WY; Donna Vande Kieft and her husband, Bill Goodwin of Everett, WA; and Mary and her husband Terry Beimers of Sioux Center; four grandchildren: Melissa and Justin Schnick, Wendy and Mike Poppema, Evan and Jennifer Beimers and Kimberly Beimers; six great-grandchildren, Connor Allen, Emery Anna, Jaci Lynn, Peyton Jo, Kinzie Lou and Claire Johanna; sister, Marie Van Kley of Sioux Center and sister-in-law, Artie Bonnema and her husband Elmer of Sioux Center. Jo was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; sister and brother-in-law, Ann and John Wiechers; brother and sister-in-law, A.J. and Jennie Haverhals; brother, John Haverhals Jr. and brother-in-law, Floyd Van Kley.