Katheron Middle

Rock Valley, IA: Katheron Middle, 90, of Rock Valley, Iowa, died Friday, April 21, 2023, at Hegg Health Center in Rock Valley. A funeral service will be held Monday, May 1, at 10:00 AM at First Reformed Church of Rock Valley with Rev. Cliff Hoekstra officiating. The service can be livestreamed at https://www.rvfrc.org/. Burial will follow at Valley View Cemetery of Rock Valley. Visitation, with the family present, will be held Sunday, April 30, from 1:30-3:30 PM at Porter Funeral Home of Rock Valley.

   Memorials may be given to the First Reformed Church Women’s Ministries.

   Katheron (Bakker) Middle, daughter of Peter and Ada (Tilstra) Bakker, was born September 13, 1932, at Shindler, South Dakota. Katheron grew up in Alvord, Iowa and attended Alvord High School where she participated in basketball and drama. She graduated in 1951. On September 26, 1952, Katheron was united in marriage with George Middle at Christ Lutheran Church in Alvord. After George was honorably discharged from the United States Army, the couple made their home in Rock Valley, Iowa. Katheron was an in-home daycare provider until fulfilling her high school dream of working in the nursing industry. She became a certified nursing assistant (CNA) and spent 28 ½ years working at Valley Manor, now Whispering Heights, in Rock Valley.

   Katheron was a member of the First Reformed Church of Rock Valley where she taught catechism for many years. She was also a member of the Mary Circle and enjoyed making pigs in a blanket and being part of Bible fellowship. Katheron was involved in Christian Women in Rock Valley for many years. Katheron enjoyed playing cards with friends and watching or listening to ballgames.

   Katheron found great joy in attending her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren’s activities. Her family loved all her homemade baking, cooked meals, and homemade crocheted items. She will be remembered as a loving and caring mom, grandma, great-grandma, and great-great-grandma.

   She is survived by 5 children, Linda (Conrad) Baker of Canton, South Dakota, Kenneth Middle of Muscatine, Iowa, Duane (Lynn) Middle of Rock Valley, Judy (Greg) Ketcham of Spirit Lake, Iowa, and Debra Middle of Sheldon, Iowa; 11 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Wilma (David) Henderson, Sharon Hord, Mary Jo Middle, Dee Middle, and Wanda Middle; and many nieces and nephews.

  Katheron was preceded in death by her parents, Peter and Ada Bakker; husband, George Middle; son, Douglas Middle; daughter-in-law, Donna Middle; 3 brothers, Raymond (Bertha) Bakker, Gerrit (Joyce) Bakker, and Syrus Bakker; sister, Anna (Donald) Tiedemann; and in-laws, Matilda (William) Elwood, Herbert (Mary Alice) Middle, Sidney Middle, Lawrence Middle, and Duane Hord.