Worthington, Minnesota John Walter Vander Kooi, 83, of Worthington, died on Saturday April 15, 2006, at the South Shore Care Center in Worthington. John was born on a farm south of Worthington on August 29, 1922, to John and Bertha Nawijn Vander Kooi. He attended schools in Worthington, Reading, and Brewster. During WWWII, he served in the Merchant Marines and Army Transportation Corps in the North Atlantic, Mediterranean, and South Pacific war zones. He married Gertrude Fransen on February 19, 1946, in Worthington and they lived in New Jersey until John’s discharge in November of 1946. In 1947, they purchased a farm in Bigelow Township, and added on a soft water delivery service in 1962. Semi-retiring in 1982, they moved to Woodland Park, Colorado, where he drove a school bus and volunteered for Teller County Hospice. John and Gert returned to their roots in Worthington in 1997. John was a life time member of the Christian Reformed Church and served as an Elder and Sunday school teacher. He also served on the Worthington Christian School Board, Faith Christian School Board, and was a member of Golden K Kiwanis. Surviving are his wife, Gert, of Worthington; four children, Stan (Carol) Vander Kooi, of Buffalo, Minnesota, Carol (Jerry) Reinsma, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Dave (Deb) Vander Kooi, of Worthington, and Kristi (Mike) Van Grouw, of Windsor, California; nine grandchildren, and six great grandchildren. He was preceded in death his daughter, Nancy, his son, Keith, a brother, Ben, and a sister, Eunice. The service will be held on Wednesday, April 19, 2006, at 11:00 a.m., at the Christian Reformed Church in Worthington, Minnesota, with the Rev. Leroy Christoffels officiating. Casket bearers will be Kyle Vander Kooi, Neil Robinson, Mark Bajema, John Riensma, and Joe Vander Kooi. Burial will be held prior to the service in the Worthington Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, April 18, 2006, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at the Benson Funeral Home in Worthington.
