On Monday August 16, 2010 we received a phone call from the nursing home that Dad was running a fever, but blood pressure and lungs sounds were okay.
Ruth came down to the nursing home to be with Dad and Mom. The nurses did give him a Tylenol suppository which helped with the temperature. Dad seemed to feel better and they feed him some breakfast.
Ruth stayed the day. In the afternoon they came in and washed Dad up and changed his shirt and then he ate some lunch. The nurses were teasing him about having four girls there with him…two nurses and Mom and Ruth.
Dad then asked “ Where are the boys?” We told him they were working.
When Ruth left she told him she was leaving and saying good-bye because she was going home to Wisconsin. She asked him if he would say good-bye and he mouthed bye…
On the morning of Tuesday August 17, 2010.…before 6:00 AM.. The nursing home called…so Ruth and Jenae got ready and came to the home.
Dad was again running a fever and his blood pressure was falling and respirations were fast. Jenae and Janna called Brant, Peter, and Sydney to let them know of Dad’s condition. Joyce gave them all the different phone numbers to get hold of them for the day. Peter started on his way to Iowa and was 50 miles on the road when Jenae called him back. Sydney was in Washington D.C. and would be tied up until Thursday. A while after Ruth and Jenae got there Janna and her kids came.. They came in to say good-bye to Daddy and then left to go home. Mom, Jenae, and Ruth were sitting by Daddy when his breathing slowed and soon stopped. That was at 10:00AM….we called Kerry so he could tell Janna..Jenae called Peter and Sydney and Ruth called Brant. We also called Maynard and he in turn let the others know. Later Ruth called Dick Coffman.
Jenae asked Sydney to let the family in Holland know…he did e-mail Saskia and she sent an e-mail back. Jetske did e-mail back too. Uncle Folkert was going to call Uncle Sip.
Ruth spent the rest of the day with Mom.
On Wednesday August 18th Mom, Ruth, Jenae, Glenn, and Janna met with the funeral director to plan the funeral.
After that we all went to the florist shop to order the casket spray and a bouquet of tulip from the Holland relatives.
We then had dinner at Pizza Ranch. Then we headed to Worthington to go shopping…..we found two dresses for Mom.
We met up with Jackie and Marvin Terpstra in the mall parking lot…they had other plans for the weekend and could not come to the funeral. That was special to see them.
The rest went home with Laura and Ruth took Mom back to CVM.
On Thursday the 19th… Ruth, Jenae and Janna worked on getting pictures ready for the picture board to have at the funeral home. Peter and Ruthy and family stopped by the nursing home to see Mom about noon and then they came out to Janna’s. Later in the day Mom wanted Ruth to come to the nursing home..so Alicia, Mason and Ruth came to visit for a while.
Friday the 20th was the day of the visitation…which we needed to be there at one o’clock…. Ruth came to the nursing home early to comb Mom’s hair and while we were doing that Maynard, Janie, and Bernice came. Kara and Terry, Trevor, Emily and Erin arrived in Sibley at that time as well. They stopped by the nursing home for a bit before the viewing. Bernice went with Mom and Ruth to the funeral home and Maynard and Janie went to their motel and would come later.
Plans were made that Bernice could spent the night with Mom.
All of the family was at the funeral home to see Dad…he looked very nice…
Then we left and went to spend a few hours at Janna’s…Bernice went with us too…
We went back about 6:00 to do the visitation with the family all there…
Bernice and Mom spent the night in the nursing home and then Ruth came early in the morning to help Mom get ready and do her hair.
The funeral for Dad was at the DEMCO hall in Boyden.
Tim Vaughan and Mona Reece had the funeral.. It was special that Lynette Lee was there and she prayed at the service.
Everyone sang as they would in meeting…the first hymn was “ I Never Can Forget “ This was hymn #284 ( one day when Dad was really restless the nursing home called Janna and she and Isaac went down to visit..they took Dad outside for a walk and when they came in Dad wanted to go in a recliner because he said it was Wednesday night so was meeting…Janna asked if he would like to go to the room and sing a hymn…Mom picked this hymn and Janna wanted to know what number…Dad readily said 284...Clarence Anderson.)
Mona spoke and mentioned living nearby and going to the home in her growing up years. Mona remembers the workers (Karen Eicher) leaving Gerrit and Rosa’s home and coming to their home. They would state that they felt so at home at the deBoer’s… she could go in, close the door behind her and felt just like one of the kids. Now Mona and been in their field and the children were gone but that they still appreciated the home. Gerrit and Rosa would tell about the children and show them pictures.
Tim mentioned some verses in Romans 8.…about the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered…how Gerrit even with his mind like it was the Spirit is there to help… Tim mentioned a little about Gerrit and Rosa that he appreciated. Janna had told Tim at the visitation about Gerrit visiting with a rather wealthy man and he was bragging about what he had. Gerrit simply mentioned that he property in six states….referring to his children. Tim mentioned that he had made and investment in the children and never forgot them. When Gerrit and Rosa were still on the farm they had the Bible study of Proverbs 31 about the virtuous woman and Gerrit was glad that God had given him one of those.
Then the whole congregation sang “ All My Springs Arise in Jesus”
( when we were in the apartment in LeMars one Wednesday night Dad said it was Wedesday night and he thought there would be meeting…there was gospel meeting in Sioux City so there was no Bible study…then he said that in ten minutes we are going to sing this hymn…he mentioned that it was the first hymn he learned and that Don Patten taught him it..Dad then started to sing and Mom and I didn’t, so he stopped and asked if anyone was going to sing!!! Mom and I did sing the hymn with him…. Dad could still sing very good.)
There were ten grandsons at the funeral and they were all pallbearers.
Levi Krisher, Dustin deBoer, Darron deBoer, Derek deBoer, Zory deBoer, Kory deBoer, Austin deBoer, Colin deBoer, Evan Williams, Isaac Williams were at the funeral. Brandon and Coy Krisher were not able to be there.
The pallbearers followed the casket outside and family and friends followed after. All remained outside until the volunteer helpers had time to set up tables where a lunch was served. They had plates and food ready for the family to come in and set down and the rest went through the cafeteria line.
The lunch was subway sandwiches, potato chips cantaloupe and dessert trays. The friends had brought in some beautiful desserts. Kerry and Janna raise cantaloupes and had enough for the crowd. They were delicious.
Dick Coffman gave thanks before the meal.
Esther Coffman played for the funeral.
At 1:00 PM we left the community center and we were to meet at the cemetery. It was extremely hot and the sun was bearing down pretty heavy.
The ten pallbearers lined at the hearse with 5 on each side. The undertaker helped the youngest ones and all had a part. Then he had them form an arch around the front side of the casket and at the en each went to the other side and laid their white carnation--boutonniere on the casket.
We sang “Where All Is Peaceful” Laura Watkins, Mona’s young companion read some verses about the Resurrection and spoke briefly.
Tim closed the service with prayer.
The undertaker gathered all the young children around and explained to them how they lower the casket, place in the vault and then put the lid on. Then he said, “ he will be there until Jesus comes.”
Family that was at the funeral.
Rosa
Ruth Krisher
Kara and Terry Carlson, Trevor, Emily, and Erin
Alicia and Chris Behm, Shawn and Mason
Levi Krisher and Kayla VanThull
Brant and Joyce deBoer, Dusty and Kelly, Darron and Angela, Derek and Justine
Peter and Ruthy deBoer, Zory, Kory, Tori and Lori
Jenae and Glenn Krisher and Stephanie
Janna and Kerry Williams, Laura, Evan, and Isaac
Sydney deBoer, Austin and Colin
Wendell and Vivian Faber
Bernice Faber
Maynard and Janie Faber….. Debora, Eli, and Luke Cloyd
Lois Williams
Goldie and Jim Vlieger
Lydia and Jerry Beemer
Ron and Luella Faber
Janna mentioned the nursing home and the loving care that Gerrit and Rosa received. In thirteen years of working in a care facility she had never seen anything like it. When Gerrit passed away all the staff came in his room and even some that were off duty came in to be him farewell and comfort the family. Even when we the family came in the ones that hadn’t seen us since Dad passed away came to extend their sympathy.
Some of Maynard and Janie’s comments:
Rosa is so gracious and content. She will continue living there as she is very happy there. They have made quite an impression on the staff. The undertakers went far beyond the call of duty to do everything they could.
The girls worked together so well and all the planning was done to perfection.
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