Lois Lavina Ribbens

Lois L. Ribbens 76, of Sioux Center, IA died Monday, August 22, 2005 at the Sioux Center Community Nursing Facility.

Funeral services will be held Friday, August 26, 2005 at the Faith Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center at 10:00AM with the Reverend Bernie Haan officiating. Internment will follow the service at the Memory Gardens Cemetery of Sioux Center.

A Visitation will be held at Memorial Funeral Home Thursday, August 25, 2005 from 2pm to 8pm with the family present from 6:00 to 8:00pm.

The Ribbens family prefers memorials be directed to the Hull Christian School or Hope Haven.

To view an online tribute video of Lois please click on the following link.
http://videos.lifetributes.com/?id=1186

Lois Lavina (Kooima) Ribbens was born February 19, 1929 to Tim and Gertrude (Groeneweg) Kooima in Rock Valley, Iowa. She grew up on the family farm and attended Rock Valley schools. She continued her education and graduated with a Bachelors Degree from Westmar College in LeMars, IA. On June 30, 1949 she was joined in marriage to Ted Ribbens in Rock Valley.

Lois will be remembered for being a devoted school teacher for 32 years spending 25 of those years teaching at the Hull Christian School. Lois teaching reached far beyond the classroom as she faithfully taught piano and organ lessons for many years. She also enjoyed teaching the Friendship Bible Class for Hope Haven clients in Hull.

Music was major part of Lois life. She directed the First Christian Reformed Church and Faith Christian Reformed Church choirs for a combined 45 years as well as serving as a church organist for 50 years.

Lois found pleasure in the smallest details of nature and could often be found in her rose garden or on her morning run. She enjoyed hiking, fishing and camping but most of all she loved spending time with her children and grandchildren helping them to witness the beauty of Gods creation all around them.

Lois remained very active until suffering a stroke in the year 2000. In 2001 she moved into the Sioux Center Nursing Facility were she received the care she needed by the staff as well as her devoted husband.

Lois is survived by her husband of 56 years, Ted; her five children and their spouses: Tim and Marilynn Ribbens of Sioux Center, Barbara and Ken Addink of Sioux Center, Larry and Paula Ribbens of Orange City, Sherry and Philip Brummel of Hull and Don and Linda Ribbens of Saronville, NE; 31 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; a brother, Art Kooima, of Rock Valley; a sister, Gertrude Rozeboom of Rock Valley; three sisters-in-law: Sue Kooima, Jennie Kooima & Elsie Kooima all of Rock Valley.

Lois was preceded in death by a great-granddaughter, Carissa Addink; her parents; four brothers: Sam T., Paul, Ed and Lawrence Kooima; and two sisters: Tracy Harmsen and Adriana Kooima.