Kittie "Kit" Kooima

ROCK VALLEY, IOWA – Kit Kooima, 86, of Rock Valley, passed away on Monday, March 14, 2022 at Whispering Heights in Rock Valley.

   Funeral Service will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 21, 2022 at First Christian Reformed Church in Rock Valley with Rev. Matthew Haan officiating. Burial will follow at Valley View Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sunday at Porter Funeral Home in Rock Valley. Condolences may be sent to www.porterfuneralhomes.com. The family prefers memorials be directed to Rock Valley Christian School. The funeral service will be livestreamed on the church website www.firstcrcrv.org.

   Kittie Joy Van Tol was born January 1, 1936 in Doon, Iowa to Cornie and Annetta (Mulder) Van Tol.  The second child and only daughter of 6 children. She went to Doon Christian School and Western Christian School, graduating in 1953.  Following high school, she worked as a telephone operator and then as a bookkeeper at Valley State Bank in Rock Valley.  One night in 1955, she was walking down main street in Rock Valley with her friend Esther, when Esther’s boyfriend and his friend stopped to pick them up.  So Kit and Bob ended up riding in the back seat together.

   Bob and Kit were married December 7, 1956 in Doon, Iowa and lived in Rock Valley for about 10 years until they moved “out of town” to the east side of Rock Valley.  She was a homemaker for many years until she started foster care of Hope Haven clients.  She also drove a bus for foster grandparents as well as River Valley students.  Bob and Kit enjoyed singing duets and would sing gospel music with the family. Her hobbies included sewing clothes for her family, crocheting and knitting, scrapbooking, crocheting beads on baby socks, collecting glassware, especially blue delft, and giving gifts and cards for special occasions. She enjoyed attending gospel music concerts and spending winters in Arizona. She went for coffee with the same group of friends for over 50 years! Kit was an active member of the First Christian Reformed Church in Rock Valley.

   Survivors include:

her husband of 65 years, Robert of Rock Valley

children and their families:

Kerry Schafer of Sun Lakes, Arizona

          Eric - son - Wilder

          Leah (Marc) Valenzuela

Dan  Kooima (deceased) and wife Lori of Rock Valley

          Greg Rardin

          Danielle (Cody) Gannon

Lisa Nilsson and husband Rob of Gilbert, Arizona

          Tyler (Jessica) Nilsson - children - Seth, Raelyn

          Eden

          Ellie

          Vance

Ronna Teunissen and husband Ron of Rock Valley

          Meghan (Casey) Vermeer -  daughters - Finnleigh, Emersyn

          Anthony

          Grady

Bob Kooima and wife Jinghua of Oak Park, Illinois

          Mollie

   Kit’s family, Joe (Judy) Van Tol of Rock Valley, Con (Dollie) Van Tol of Lawton, Michigan, Ken Van Tol of Freeport, Michigan, and Audley (Linda) Van Tol of Iowa City, Iowa; Bob’s family, Jim (Margene) Kooima of Rock Valley, Henry and Irene Ter Wee of Larchwood, Faye (Clarence) Vande Stouwe of Rock Valley, Gawin (Wanda) Kooima of Sioux Center, and Brian Kooima of Rock Valley; and numerous nieces and nephews.

   Kit was preceded in death by her parents, Cornie and Annetta Van Tol; brother, Leo Van Tol; son, Dan Kooima; son-in-law, Jim Schafer; father-in-law, Gerrit Kooima; mother-in-law, Bertha Kooima; mother-in-law, Nancy Kooima; sister-in-law, Minerva Ter Wee; sister-in-law, Kris Kooima; and niece, Joni Saunders and her husband, Don and son, Jesse.