Leona Kots

  Leona Kots Livestream

Leona Kots, age 92, of Sioux Center, IA died Monday, May 18, 2020 at Pleasant Acres Care Center of Hull, Iowa.

     A private family funeral service will be held on Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at Memorial Funeral Home at Sioux Center, IA, with Rev. Liz Moss officiating. Interment will follow the service in Memory Gardens Cemetery in Sioux Center, Iowa.

     There will be visiting time for public to pay their respects at the funeral home on Monday from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Family will not be present during the visitation times and we will be following the 10-person limit.

     Leona was born, June 13, 1927, to Neal G. and Pauline (Intveld) Punt on a farm near Maurice, Iowa. Leona grew up on this farm. She went to country grade school and graduated from Sioux Center High School in 1945. After graduation Leona taught rural school for 2 years.

     On June 13, 1947, Leona was united in marriage to Virgil Kots at the First Reformed Church of Sioux Center, IA. They lived for a short time in Sioux Falls, SD, before moving to Maurice, IA. In 1950, Virgil and Leona moved to Montevideo, MN, where they farmed. In November of 1959 they moved back to Sioux Center, IA. Virgil and Leona moved a total of 24 times, built 6 homes and remodeled several houses, between Iowa, California and Mesa, AZ. After Virgil passed in 2005, Leona moved an additional 7 times. Leona enjoyed decorating and remodeling their homes. For 11 ½ years Leona worked at Dordt College, in food service. From 1982 to 1989, Leona worked for the Escondido, CA Elementary School District, serving hot lunches.

     Leona was a member of the First Reformed Church, attended the Lydia Circle and taught Catechism. Leona loved flowers, gardening, reading and crossword puzzles. Her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren meant so much to her.

     Leona is survived by two children and their spouses, Bonnie and Bruce Smits of San Marcos, CA and Kevin and Darla (DeGroot) Kots of Sioux Center, IA; 7 grandchildren, Steven and Stephanie (Smits) DeAmbrogio of Escondido, CA, Art and Teresa (Smits) Stephens of Temecula, CA, Benjamin Kots of White Settlement, TX, Eric and Stacey (Liston) Kots of Ireton, IA; 9 great-grandchildren, Jacob Nolan, Stephan and Nathan DeAmbrogio and Tyler and Trevor Vorwith, Trevor Reed, Jayden, Levi and Kaiya Kots; 3 sisters-in-law, Arlene Punt, Mavis Punt and Lorna Koel; a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Darwin and Marlene Kots; and many nieces and nephews.

      Leona is preceded in death by her husband Virgil; a son Daniel in 1983; a grandson, Cary Vorwith; her parents; 4 brothers and 1 sister, Gerrit, Harold, Martin and Dennis Punt, Elizabeth (Betty) Van Veldhuizen; father and mother-in-law, Henry and Maggie Kots; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Nelson Kots, Orville and Anna Kots, Lloyd and Lorraine Kots, Henry and Luverna Kramer, Marvin and Dorothy Kots, Bill Boyd and Helen (Boyd) Chance, William (Bill) and Marjorie Swisher, Del Koel, Hendrine Punt, Louise Punt, Jeanne Punt and John Van Veldhuizen.