Ireton, IA: Rena Holtrop, 91 of Ireton, Iowa passed away at Hillcrest Health Care
Services in Hawarden, Iowa on Saturday, March 02, 2019.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, March 7, at the First Reformed Church in Ireton
at 10:30 AM with Rev. Doug Van Aartsen officiating.
Burial will follow at Pleasant Hill Cemetery of Ireton.
Visitation, with the family present, will be held prior to the funeral service from
9:00-10:00 AM at the church.
Porter Funeral Home of Ireton has been entrusted with funeral arrangements.
Rena Holtrop was born on the farm outside of Alton, Iowa on October 16th, 1927 to Andrew and Handreka (Vande Hoef) Kool. She lived in the Hawarden / Ireton area her entire life. She married Fred Holtrop in 1948, after he returned from the war. She was an avid seamstress, sewing beautiful quilts for her children, and grandchildren and loved to read. She and Fred traveled all over the United States, with her favorite spots being the oceans, the redwood forests, and the endless blue skies of the prairies.
Rena was a wonderful mother, and a loving grandmother who loved to cuddle with her grandchildren. If she didn't see them often enough, she got " Hungry for them! " She graduated from high school at the age of 16, and despite a desire to go into teaching and / or nursing, took a job with the city of Hawarden to help her widowed mother. She always brought home every dime she earned to help her mother support her three siblings.
Rena also worked for the Ben Franklin store in Hawarden, earning $1.50 for a week's work! Later in life, she worked as a janitor, and later as a cook for the Ireton Christian school. The sight of children always brought a smile to her face, and she was known to sneak treats to them before lunch, if they were hungry! Rena was a friend to all, and never turned a hungry child or anyone else away from her table. She was a woman of many earthly sayings, including, " Always save a few dollars back for a rainy day, Enjoy your days and spend time with your children, You need not work all the time, some will wait till tomorrow, Give of yourself for many need you, Give back to the Lord, and spend time in prayer. Remember that tough times pass and tough people last! " And again, in her own words, " Keep Psalm 42, especially verse 11 in your heart.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her sister Johanna, and her two brothers, Marvin and Adrian. She leaves five sons, Larry and Brenda of Great Bend, Kansas, Daryl and Sandy of Maurice Iowa, Gary and Madonna of Ireton, David of Ireton, and Mark of New Hampshire. Other survivors include 10 grandchildren, and 15 great grandchildren. Goodbye Mom, we hope the lilacs are always in bloom, the sun shines off the clouds, and the trees and grass are lush where you're going.
[Source: Porter Funeral Homes]
Marvin C. Kool, age 78, of 1803 Frank Ave. SE, Huron, died on Sunday, September 6, 2009,
at the Huron Regional Medical Center.
His funeral service will be 11:00 a.m. Thursday, September 10, 2009, at Our Saviors
Lutheran Church in Huron, with burial at Restlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery, Huron, and
military rites by the Huron Veterans Council.
Visitation will be 1-8 p.m. Wednesday, September 9, at the Welter Funeral Home in Huron,
with the family present from 5-7 p.m.; or one hour prior to the service at the church
on Thursday.
Marvin C. Kool, the son of Andrew and Dreka (Vander Hoef) Kool, was born on November 3, 1930, in Alton, IA. He attended School and graduated from Hawarden High School. Marv also received a Bachelor of Science and a Masters Degree in Physical Education and Guidance from South Dakota State University. Marv served his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was honorably discharged with the rank of Corporal.
Marv married Patricia Lee Stamp on June 15, 1957 in Ortonville, MN. Marvin worked as a Teacher, Coach, and Athletic Director at the Deadwood High School in South Dakota, and as a salesman for Tredway Sporting Goods for most of his career. In his later years, Marv worked as a Substitute and Study Hall Teacher for Huron High School. >p>Marv started for both the Basketball and Football Teams at South Dakota State University all four years of his college career, and was named the most valuable player and co-captain for both during his senior year.
Marv was involved in a lot of volunteer work, including the building of the Washington baseball field in Huron, helping start the Huron Swim Team, volunteering for many track meets all over the state of South Dakota. Marv was a member of the Forrest McMullrn VFW Post#1776 and the William Reaves American Legion Post#7 in Huron. He was also a member of the Huron Junior Chamber of Commerce. He enjoyed hunting and fishing. Marvin was an avid football fan, his favorite teams were, the Vikings, South Dakota State University and the Huron Tigers. Marv also enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.
Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Patricia of Huron; his 2 sons, Mark (Jean Dunbar), of Fairfield, IA, and Andrew (Mary) Kool, of Sioux Falls, SD; 2 daughters, Vicky (Chuck) Davis, and Jonna (Tom) Reid, both of Huron, SD; 11 grandchildren; 2 step-grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren; his; sister, Rena (Fred) Holtrop, of Ireton, IA; and sister-in-law, Helen Kool of Hawarden, IA.
Marvin was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Adrian; and sister, Johanna Kool.