Cornelia Hoogendoorn

Rock Valley, IA: Cornelia Hoogendoorn, 93, of Rock Valley, Iowa formerly Lester, Iowa, died Monday, January 9, 2023, at Hegg Health Center of Rock Valley. A funeral service will be held Friday, January 13, at 2:30 PM at Porter Funeral Home of Rock Valley with Rev. H. Hofman officiating. The service can be audio-streamed at https://www.porterfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/cornelia-hoogendoorn. Burial will follow at Valley View Cemetery of Rock Valley. Visitation, with the family present, will be held Thursday, January 12, from 5:30-7:30 PM at Porter Funeral Home.

   Cornelia Hoogendoorn, daughter of Martin and Lizzie (Rus) Vanden Brink, was born May 18, 1929, near Corsica, South Dakota. The family later settled at Alvord, Iowa where Cornelia graduated from 8^th grade. She was united in marriage to Gilbert C. Hoogendoorn on March 1, 1950, at Alvord. The couple farmed near Kanaranzi, Minnesota and later moved near Lester, Iowa where they farmed for 37 years. Cornelia and Gilbert loved to travel and would take vacation trips all across the United States. They enjoyed wintering in Arizona as “snowbirds” for many years. Gilbert passed away September 27, 2009. In 2018, Cornelia made her home at Whispering Heights of Rock Valley, Iowa.

   Cornelia was a dedicated farmer’s wife and a wonderful homemaker and mother to her seven children. She loved it when all the family would get together. She was also very talented with knitting, crocheting, and other handiwork. Cornelia was also an avid reader of spiritual books, biographies, and other various reading materials. Cornelia was a member of the Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Sioux Center, Iowa.

Cornelia is survived by 5 children, Jerald Hoogendoorn of Rock Valley, Dennis (Joan) Hoogendoorn of Rock Rapids, Iowa, Linda Rich of Bel Air, Maryland, Sheryl (Greg) Steuk of Sioux City, Iowa, and Connie (Glenn) Vande Kamp of Lester; 2 daughters-in-law, Debra Hoogendoorn of Rock Rapids and Wanda Hoogendoorn of Larchwood, Iowa; 24 grandchildren; 35 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great-grandchild; brother, John (Lois) Vanden Brink of Montevideo, Minnesota; 4 sisters-in-law, Arlene Hoogendoorn and Peggy Hoogendoorn of Rock Valley, Sadie (Albert) Schelling of Orange City, Iowa, and Barb Hoogendoorn of Rock Rapids; and brother-in-law, Frank Wynia of Rock Rapids.

   She was preceded in death by her parents, Martin and Lizzie Vanden Brink; husband, Gilbert C. Hoogendoorn; and two sons, Gary Hoogendoorn and Marlin Hoogendoorn.