Jeanette "Nettie" Van Surksum

Doon, IA: Jeanette “Nettie” Van Surksum, 82, of Doon, Iowa, died Friday, June 2, 2023, at Avera McKennan Hospital of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A funeral service will be held Thursday, June 8, at 10:00 AM at Porter Funeral Home of Rock Valley, Iowa with Rev. H. Hofman officiating. The service will be audio-streamed at https://www.porterfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/jeanette-van-surksum. Burial will follow at Hillside Cemetery of Doon. Visitation, with the family present, will be held Wednesday, June 7, from 5:30-7:00 PM at Porter Funeral Home of Rock Valley.

   Jeanette “Nettie” Ann Van Surksum, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Van Grootheest) Vlastuin, was born December 15, 1940, near Doon, Iowa. Nettie grew up on the family farm and attended school through the 8^th grade. On June 11, 1959, Nettie was united in marriage with John Van Surksum at her parents’ farm. The couple raised three daughters, Debra, Susan, and Dawn. Nettie was a longtime member of the Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Sioux Center, Iowa.

   Nettie held various jobs, but she greatly enjoyed her last job driving "bus" for Area 4 and getting to know the kids she brought to school every day. Nettie loved taking care of the house, cooking, spending time with her family, having coffee with her friends, visiting her sister & sister-in-law in the nursing home, and gardening and tending to her flowers. She also liked to sew and was an amazing seamstress and made custom doll clothes for her granddaughters and great granddaughters. In addition to her hobbies, Nettie loved feeding the birds and squirrels and watching them from the kitchen every day.

   She is survived by her husband of 63 years, John; daughters Susan (Steve) Hoekstra, and Dawn (Lane) Munson; grandchildren, Lance (Amy) Juffer and their daughter, Annika, Stephanie (Chad) Mulder and their children, Dylan, Gracyn, and Aubryn, Cole Hoekstra, Chance Hoekstra, Dane Munson, and Cydne Munson; sister, Tillie Blom; brother, Elmer Vlastuin; and sisters-in-law, Ann Vlastuin and Emma Vlastuin.

   Preceding Nettie in death were her parents, John and Elizabeth; daughter, Debra Van Surksum; great-grandson, Andrew Juffer; and her siblings, Henrietta DeBruin, Henry Vlastuin, Gerrit Vlastuin, and Fred Vlastuin.