Cover photo for Cornelius "Cornie" Toering's Obituary
Cornelius "Cornie" Toering Profile Photo
1930 Cornelius 2016

Cornelius "Cornie" Toering

September 16, 1930 — August 11, 2016

CORNELIUS EDWARD TOERING was born to Louis and Katherine Elizabeth (Van Zanten) Toering on September 16, 1930 on a farm in Plato Township, Sioux County, IA where he was raised and received his education. In February, 1948, he moved with his parents and worked with them on a farm near Pipestone, MN. On February 29, 1952, he entered the United States Army and operated a crane to build bridges across the river for training troops. While he was in the service, he was united in marriage to Johanna Jansen on November 5, 1952, at the Christian Reformed Church in Brooten, MN. After his honorable discharge on March 1, 1954, he returned to Pipestone and worked at various jobs until 1957 when he went into farming on his own. In 1969, he and his wife bought a farm two and one-half miles south of Pipestone. They continued to live and farm here until August, 2009 when they had a farm sale. At that time, they bought a house and moved into Pipestone. Over the course of the last year, Cornie fought Alzheimer's disease and resided at Ridgeview Estates, the Good Samaritan Communities of Pipestone, and finally at the Pipestone County Hospice House, where he passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 11, 2016 at the age of 85 years, 10 months, and 25 days.

Cornie was a member of the Christian Reformed Church in Pipestone where he served as a deacon, an elder, and taught Catechism and Sunday School. Cornie and Jo’s weekly trips to Bible study in Edgerton with the residents of Hope Haven were always loved. He enjoyed reading history books. He was a member of the Pipestone American Legion for 53 years and served on the Holland school board. Farming was his life and his love and he repaired much of his own equipment; he especially loved tractor pulling his 44 Massey Harris. He also enjoyed spending the winter months in Arizona. Above all else, he loved spending time with his grandchildren. Cornie was a caring, positive person, whether it was his siblings earlier in life or his family and fellow church parishioners in the later years.

He is lovingly remembered by his wife of 63 years, Johanna of Pipestone; three children, Sue Bolkema of Pipestone; Keith (Jill) Toering of Hardwick, MN, and Kenneth Toering of St. Paul, MN; six grandchildren, Jodie (Scott) Van Essen, John (Jessica) Bolkema, Ryan (Erin) Bolkema, Heidi Bolkema, Kyle Toering and Kayla (fianc, John Colianni) Toering; two step-grandchildren, Bret (Molly) Baird and Carrie (Erik) Peterson; 12 great-grandchildren; and five siblings, Louis (Betty) Toering of Wyoming, MI, Lawrence (Annette) Toering of Tulsa, OK, Carl (Terry) Toering of Blue Island, IL, Kathy (Earl) Vanden Bos of Mesa, AZ, and Allen (Mary) Toering of Sioux Falls, SD. He is preceded in death by his parents; his granddaughter, Christy; his brother, Henry Toering; and his sister-in-law, Geneva Toering.

To send flowers to the family in memory of Cornelius "Cornie" Toering, please visit our flower store.

Service Schedule

Past Services

Visitation

Sunday, August 14, 2016

2:00 - 5:00 pm (Central time)

Hartquist Funeral Home - Pipestone Chapel

710 SE 4th St. , Pipestone, MN 56164

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Service

Monday, August 15, 2016

Starts at 10:30 am (Central time)

Christian Reformed Church - Pipestone

800 2nd Ave. SE, Pipestone, MN 56164

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Burial

New Woodlawn Cemetery - Pipestone

654 116th St., Pipestone, MN 56164

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