Nettie Van Zante was born June 23, 1923, at home by Taintor, Iowa to Paul and Johanna,
"Josie" (Ryken) Simons.
She graduated from the 8th grade at a country school in Madison Country School.
She worked at Petra grocery in Pella and stayed with Steve De Kock.
When her dad passed she moved to Oskaloosa with her mom and worked at Greens grocery.
Nettie met Lloyd at a skating party at Central College and they married on March 29, 1946, at the First Christian Reformed Church in Oskaloosa. To this union they welcomed 2 sons: Bill and Rick. Nettie lovingly raised her boys on the family farm in a Christian home and willingly helped Lloyd when he needed her. They built a home on the other farm in 1979, so their son Rick and his wife Joan could move to the home place. In their later years they moved to Midtown apartments. Nettie loved being able to walk her errands. Later they went to Vriendschap for a few years and ended up at The Friesland Cottage.
Nettie became a member of First Reformed Church in Pella when she married Lloyd. She taught many Sunday school classes, (catechism), enjoyed Circle, was a member of RCWA, a member of the the choir and was part of many Couples Bible Studies. Nettie taught 4-H for many years in Mahaska County, her group was the M&M Peppy Pals. She later judged at many county fairs.
Nettie was very passionate about volunteering, she spent countless hours during Tulip Time all over Pella. Nettie had the gift of hospitality, she loved entertaining in her home her and Lloyd built. She spent countless hours playing cards with friends and family. They traveled to many places in the US, also visited Switzerland, Holland and Europe. They spent part of winters in Florida with their son Bill and family.
She was also survived by her brother: Paul Junior (Kathryn) Simons, and her sister: Joey (Dale) Van Omen.
Nettie was preceded in death by her husband: Lloyd, her parents, her parents-in-law: Will and Angelina Van Zante, her brothers: Leonard (Norma) Simons and Herman (Virginia) Simons, and sisters-in-law: Clara (Hubert) Thorson, Ethel (Ray) Gosselink, Gladys (John) Van Dyk, and Freda (Jeff) Hoeksema.
[Garden Chapel Funeral Home web site]
Courtesy of Bates Funeral Chapel:
Herman M. Simons, 89, of Oskaloosa, Iowa, died Friday, April 18, 2014, at the Mahaska Hospital in Oskaloosa. He was born Tuesday, December 16, 1924, in Taintor, Iowa, the son of Paul and Johanna Ryken Simons. He attended Greeley Country School.
On May 1, 1946, Herman was united in marriage to Viginia M. Brummel in Leighton; she died October 1, 2002. Herman farmed for 10 years and worked at AE Dairy for a time. He also shelled corn, worked as a salesman for Farm Service, and as a courier for Mahaska State Bank.
His family was the center of his life. He enjoyed telling jokes, going to coffee, and helping people. Herman will always be remembered as being a very sympathetic person. He was a member of the Gateway Church of the Nazarene.
His family includes his daughter: Verjean (& Ken) Rexroth of Oskaloosa; his son: Dr. Ronald (& Dr. Leslie) Simons of Athens, Georgia; five grandchildren: Angela (& Dave) Risch, Joseph (& Cindy) Simons, Dr. Sara (& Dr.Kenny) Fearn, Kim (& Mike) McCann, and Scott (& Krista) Rexroth; 7 great-grandchildren: Jack and Joe Risch, Kaleb, Kendall, and Lainie Beth Van Amburg, and Ethan and Ella Rexroth; two sisters: Nettie (& Lloyd) Van Zante of Pella, Iowa, and Joann (& Dale) Van Ommen of Oskaloosa; a brother: Paul (& Kathryn) Simons, Jr. of Pella; two stepsisters: Esther Bensink of Pella and Mildred (& Ray) De Zwarte of Oskaloosa; two stepbrothers: Howard (& Nancy) Brummel of Monroe, Iowa, and James (& Marilyn) Brummel of Oskaloosa; and a sister-in-law: Edith Brummel of Knoxville, Iowa.
Herman was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; a brother and his wife: Leonard and Norma Simons; five stepsisters: Edna (& Lester) Klein, Clara (& Henry "Hank") Lanser, Ada Olson, Bernice (& Edward) Goemaat, and Ann (& Ben) Groenendyk; and one stepbrother: Virgil Brummel.
Funeral services will be held Monday, April 21, 2014, at 11 A.M. at the Gateway Church of the Nazarene in Oskaloosa, with Reverend Dave Childers and Pastor Alvern Boetsma officiating. Visitation will be Monday from 9 A.M. until service time at 11 A.M. in the Gateway Church, with the family present at the church during that time to greet friends and relatives. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery at 1:30 P.M. A procession will form at 1:10 P.M. at the Gateway Church of the Nazarene in Oskaloosa for those wishing to go to the cemetery.