Laura B. Kooiman

LAURA BEATRICE KOOIMAN was born to Walter and Bertha (Schelhaas) Blom on September 16, 1928 on a farm near Edgerton, Minnesota. While she was growing up, she lived with her parents on farms near Edgerton, Chandler, and Woodstock, Minnesota. In 1942, she moved with her parents to Pipestone where she helped her parents and did housework for others. On August 22, 1950, she was united in marriage to Clair H. Kooiman in Edgerton. Following their marriage, they lived in Luverne, Minnesota. In 1955, they moved to Denver, Colorado where Laura worked at Montgomery Wards. Her husband preceded her in death on December 9, 1958. After his death, Laura moved to Pipestone and worked for Sears and A&S Drugs. She returned to Colorado in 1969 where she lived in Englewood and worked for the Department of Social Services for 20 years until her retirement in April, 1993. On October 1, 2001, Laura moved back to Pipestone. Laura entered the Pipestone County Hospice House on Tuesday, February 11, 2014 where she lived until her death on Friday, February 14, 2014; she had lived to reach the age of 85 years, 4 months and 28 days.

Laura was a member of the Christian Reformed Church in Pipestone where she was baptized in October, 1928, and made her Profession of Faith in March, 1950. She was a member of the Dorcus and Golden Hour Bible Studies, and she volunteered at the Pipestone County Medical Center. She enjoyed crocheting, embroidering, doing jigsaw puzzles, and helping others.

She is lovingly remembered by her four children, Beverly DeWeerd and her husband Donald of Pipestone, Minnesota, Evelyn Ruiter and her husband Donovan of Pipestone, Minnesota, Leonard Kooiman and his wife Paulette of Wheatland, Wyoming, and Clarence Kooiman and his wife Sherry of Denver, Colorado; nine grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; one brother, Bernard Blom and his wife Gretchen of Pipestone, Minnesota; sisters-in-law, Sally Blom of Pipestone, Elaine Kats of Rock Valley, Iowa, Rosella Calcagnie of Murrieta, California and Florence Kooiman of Crown Point, Indiana; and her special sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Carolyn and Adrian Kuipers of Edgerton, Minnesota. She was preceded in death by her husband; one grandson, Brent DeWeerd; her parents; two sisters, Frieda and Gertrude; three brothers: Nick, Walter and Albert; her daughter-in-law, Leah Kooiman; and her sisters-in-law; Grace, Vada and Gladys.