January 11, 2014
Service: January 17, 2014
Alvin Lee Hoksbergen's life on this earth ended on January 11, 2014. His 85 years were filled with vitality and love, energy and empathy, humor and dedication. His greatest life investments were in his family and in the people he served through his pastoral ministry. At the end he was surrounded by his wife of 63 years Shirley (VanderSchaaf), nine grandchildren, three foster grandchildren, three great grandchildren, and three children and their spouses (Stan & Deb Hoksbergen, Roland & Lisseth Hoksbergen, and Miriam & Keith Hinkle). He was deeply loved by each and every one. Al's larger family included all the people in and around the congregations he served as pastor, but also anyone suffering from poverty, addictions, impairments, or any other vulnerability. His compassion led him to want to help anyone in need, and he led his churches down these paths as well. As his direct family witnessed his passing, they were conscious of how privileged they had been to be connected to this fine man who loved the Lord, his family, the people in his churches, and, truth be known, pretty much everyone.
Al's life had humble beginnings. Born at home in Pella, Iowa to Isaac and Minnie on October 22, 1928, followed a few years later by sister Norma June, the young family survived the depression along with the rest of the Pella community. Al thought his future lay in following his father into greenhouse work, but military service in Korea changed everything. One day as he witnessed a child scavenging for food in the military dump, he felt God's call to invest in a life that would "make a difference" and he decided then and there to study for pastoral ministry. Returning home to Shirley and their one-year old son, he enrolled at Calvin College and went straight on to Calvin Seminary. After a year of additional study at the Free University of Amsterdam, he pastored the Ann Arbor Christian Reformed Church, River Terrace Church and, finally, Ferrysburg Community Church. Upon retirement, he continued to serve as a hospital chaplain, pastor vacant churches on an interim basis, and write articles for the Banner. Throughout his ministry, Al was actively involved in agencies and boards of the Christian Reformed Church.
He loved gardening and fishing, and he was good at both. He played golf for the fellowship and to keep himself humble. His greatest earthly joy, however, was his work, and he worked until the very end of his life. Al's life will be honored with a memorial service on Friday, January 17 at 11:00 AM. Visitation will be Thursday, January 16, from 2-4 PM and 7-9 PM. Both of these events will be at the Ferrysburg Community Church.
Al would often say, "In order to have a friend, you have to be a friend;" he had a lot of friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to Ferrysburg Community Church in support of its crib ministry.
From contributor Al Hibbard:
Nelson Leonard Pleima, son of Martin and Regina (De Jong) Pleima, was born April 2, 1925, at home in Mahaska County, Iowa. He attended Reiter School No.8 south of Sully, Iowa graduating from the eighth grade. In February 1945, Nelson began two years of military service, completing basic training at Camp Wolters, Texas. Since the Peace Treaty with Germany was signed at the end of basic training, Nelson was reassigned to a stockade near Frankfurt, Germany where he was a tower watchman and then a guard in the jail holding war criminals.
On February 9, 1950, he was united in marriage with Norma June Hoksbergen at the home of her parents in Pella, Iowa. Nelson and June were blessed with four children: Donald Lee, Nancy Eileen, Steven Gene and Arlene Faye. Following their marriage, they began farming in the Pella vicinity. In 1966, they moved to Pella where they purchased a home at 1014 East First Street. Nelson then began his career at Vermeer Manufacturing and retired from there in 1990.
Retirement years brought various part-time jobs: south end carwash, historical society, and together they were custodians at the Central College chapel. His hobbies were gardening, mushroom hunting, making apple crates, squirrel chairs, planter boxes and ropes. He enjoyed fall trips to Minnesota to chop stalks at his daughter’s farm, Arlene and Roger Mulder. A highlight for many years was the Christmas light display at their two-story home winning two first place awards. Nelson’s pride and joy was his grandchildren and great- grandchildren.
On February 1, 1999, June passed away unexpectedly while they were visiting their son, Steve’s family in Florida. Many times Nelson expressed his love for her and how much he missed her. Nelson passed away May 30, 2017, at the age of 92 years, one month and 28 days at Jefferson Place in Pella.
Nelson is survived by his four children and their families: Donald and Ruth (Beyer) Pleima of Hollister, Missouri, Andrea and Kyle Shearer, Elizabeth Shearer, Nancy and Melvin Vander Wiel of Pella, Iowa; Tracy Vander Wiel and Laurie Miller; Jaylin and Colton Vander Wiel; Eric and Lindsey Vander Wiel; Banx and Paxton Vander Wiel; Steven and Rhonda (Jansen) Pleima of Lakeland, Florida; Renae and Wayne Anderson; Hailey and Leon Anderson; Arlene and Roger Mulder of Willmar, Minnesota; Ashley and Kyle Rice; Kendall, Hartley and Walker Rice; Trent and Cassandra Mulder; Kylee, Makenna, and TJ Mulder; Kari and Jesse Ducommun; Henrik Ducommun.
Of his extended family Nelson leaves two sisters, a brother-in-law, and two sisters-in-law: Alice (Quintin) Zylstra, Effie and Howard Groenendyk, Lenora (Albert) Pleima all of Pella, and Shirley (Alvin) Hoksbergen of Holland, Michigan.
Nelson was preceded in death by his wife, June, a grandson, Shaun Michael Pleima; his parents, Martin and Regina Pleima; two brothers, Dick Pleima and his wife, Gertrude, Albert Pleima, his brother-in-law, Quintin Zylstra; his parents-in-law, Isaac and Minnie (Kloosterman) Hoksbergen; and a brother-in-law, Rev Alvin L. (Bud) Hoksbergen.
Nelson was baptized at the Peoria Christian Reformed Church in Peoria, Iowa and made profession of faith at Second Christian Reformed Church in Pella and was currently a member of Covenant Reformed Church in Pella, Iowa
[Van Dyk - Duven Funeral Home web site]