Jacob I. Kooiker

JACOB IVAN KOOIKER was born on October 28, 1930 to John and Johanna (Ver Meer) Kooiker on the farm near Boyden, Iowa. He was raised on the farm and attended country school through eighth grade. When he was 16 years old the family moved to a farm near Hardwick, Minnesota. Jake continued farming with his father until being inducted into the United States Army on December 9, 1952. Upon his honorable discharge on October 14, 1954, Jake returned to the family farm and continued farming the land with his father. On October 28, 1955, Jake was united in marriage to Gertrude Bloemendaal at the Chandler Reformed Church in Chandler, Minnesota. The couple made their home on the farm west of Hardwick where they worked and raised their four children. Later in his life Jake went to work for Feikema Farms. In September of 2010 he was diagnosed with lung cancer. On Saturday, April 30, 2011, Jake passed away peacefully in the comfort of his home at the age of 80 years, six months and two days.

Jake was a member of the Christian Reformed Church in Luverne. He was also a member of the Minnesota Farmers Union and the Arthur Moeller American Legion Post #478. He was an avid reader and writer and enjoyed watching NASCAR and attending sales at both the Luverne and Pipestone Livestock Sale Barns. Earlier in life Jake enjoyed going out to camp. Throughout his life, Jake had pet dogs on the farm place all of which he cared for very much.

Jake is lovingly remembered by his wife of 55 years, Gertrude; four children, Lois and her husband Lawrence Van Hofwegen of Castlewood, South Dakota, Cindy Kooiker of Luverne, Ivan Kooiker and his friend, Beth Capistran of Luverne, and Robert and his wife Lorna Kooiker of Pipestone, Minnesota; 8 grandchildren, Amy, Kyle, Sheila, Brian, Travis, Wendy, Casey and Amanda; two great-grandchildren, Ayden and Landon; five siblings, Willis and his wife Beverly Kooiker of Wyoming, Michigan, Clara Rozeboom of Leota, Minnesota, Cynthia Lundberg of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Louisa and her husband Don DeBoer of Leota, and John, Jr. and his wife Sherry Kooiker of Boyden, Iowa; and other family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Johanna; a brother, Herman; and two brother-in-laws, Harvard Rozeboom and Lawrence Lundberg.