Roger Koele

     Roger Koele, age 59, of Sioux Center, IA died Monday, February 24, 2020, at his home surrounded by his family.

     Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, February 28, 2020 at First Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center with Rev. Kurt Monroe and Rev. Carl Klompien officiating. 

     A Prayer service for family and friends will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Friday at First Christian Reformed Church.  Interment will follow the prayer service in Memory Gardens Cemetery of Sioux Center.

     Visitation will be held on Thursday, February 27, 2020 from 4:00-8:00 p.m. with the family present from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the First Christian Reformed Church.

     Memorials may be directed to Sioux Center Christian School and Rock Valley Christian School.

Roger Allen Koele was born on August 30, 1960 in Sioux Center, Iowa to Duane and Lorrie (Vander Tuin) Koele. He was raised in Hull and Sioux Center where he attended Hull Christian School until the seventh grade and finished seventh and eighth grade at Sioux Center Christian School. In 1978, he graduated from Western Christian High School. Following high school, Rog attended Dordt University (formerly College) and graduated in 1982 with a degree in business administration.

     Rog married Diane Dirksen, his high school sweetheart and the love of his life, on August 7, 1981 at the Sibley Christian Reformed Church. While living in Sioux Center, God blessed them with their first child, Jonathon Jaye. They moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1985 where Rog sold motorcycles at a Honda dealership. Their second child, Brittany Morgan, was born in Phoenix in 1988. They moved back to Sioux Center later that year to raise their children near extended family.    

     Rog was a partner at Wesselink Insurance Agency where he worked for many years. Most recently, he sold insurance at People’s Bank where he developed many lasting friendships and enjoyed serving the community. Rog reluctantly retired in January of 2019. He was a member of the First Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Center, serving faithfully as a deacon and on various church committees. His quiet Kingdom service will be remembered by the people he helped. Rog loved all things sports related. He especially enjoyed following the Minnesota Twins, Iowa Hawkeyes, and the Minnesota Vikings. He was an avid supporter of Western Christian High School and Dordt University and volunteered regularly at athletic events. Spending time with his family brought him the most joy, and he would talk about them to anyone and everyone. Rog also loved experiencing God’s creation while boating on Round Lake, fishing in Canada, swimming with grandkids, and walking in the sand on vacations. In May of 2018, Rog was diagnosed with ALS. Instead of defeating him, ALS brought out Rog’s deeper character and fueled his determination to glorify God.

     Rog will be greatly missed by his wife of 38 years, Diane; his father and stepmother, Duane and Rose (Schouten) Koele of Sioux Center, IA; his children, Jonathon and Dana (Bartman) Koele of Sioux Center, IA, and Brittany (Koele) and Adam De Ruyter of Rock Valley, IA; five grandchildren, Maddie, Annie, and Marcus Koele, and Evelyn and Jack De Ruyter; sister, Rachel (Koele) and Randy Kroll; brother, Rich and Stacy (Dirkse) Koele; his mother-in-law, Gerdena (Bouma) Dirksen, brothers and sisters-in-law, Curt and Dar (Dirksen) Hartog, Dave and Dawn (Dirksen) Van Groningen, and Doug and Becky (Hathaway) Dirksen; along with many uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, and cousins. Rog will also be missed by his many brothers and sisters in Christ who walked alongside him, prayed with him, and shared fellowship with him,

     He was preceded in death by his mother, Lorrie Koele; and father-in-law, John Dirksen.