Cornelia Marie Vennema

Cornelia “Corrie” Vennema repeated that sentence every day as her life shrank from life on a farm, to a home “in town,” to an apartment near her church, to a room at Valley Christian Home, to a bed in a shared room at a local care facility.

Her family’s circumstances dictated that, as a young girl, she forgo most of her high school education in order to care for her younger siblings, a number of whom needed to be painstakingly fed with a medicine dropper.

Corrie’s adult life included years of hard work on the farm that she shared with her husband Herman. While he spent days at a local butcher shop, Corrie worked the farm.

Her life was more than just hard work, however: She sang in choirs and quartets at her church as well as engaged with a women’s circle there; she became an award-winning bowler on teams at the local bowling alley; she served for years as a volunteer with Sacred Heart Hospital’s guild; and she served on the Kings County Grand Jury. She and Herman took up square dancing at the Square Eights Hall and traveled to dances out of the area.

The sugar cookies she mixed with her hands were acclaimed in Hanford and beyond; the stroop waffles she made at holidays were another hit. Her cookie jar was a three-pound coffee can. Less well known, except to her immediate family, were the amazing roasts she cooked for them every Sunday - mouthwateringly delicious!

Corrie welcomed new visitors to her church. She welcomed family and friends into her and Herman’s home regularly: with coffee and cookies or cheese and crackers after church Sunday mornings, or a hi-ball with chips and onion dip when friends dropped in to play snooker with Herman or to visit.

While a resident at Valley Christian Home, she was famous for her singing. According to a spokesman there, other residents often joined her in singing during mealtimes in the dining room.

After suffering through much pain and several illnesses at a local facility, Corrie passed into a pain-free world on Sunday, January 8, where she is most definitely singing with joy. She was 98 years old.

She is survived by her daughters Linda Jones of Hanford, Arla (and Steve) Geisler of Goodyear, AZ, Anne (and Tom) Stocking of San Diego; siblings George Verburg, Jenny Laurence, and Sarah Jansen; grandchildren: Chris Jones, Lisa Ford, Lindsay Jones, Aaryn Mackey, Joe Vermaas, Katherine Daaland, Melissa Stocking, and Emily Sherwood; fifteen great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Herman Vennema; her parents, Goris and Cornelia Verburg; seven siblings: Marie Versluys, John Verburg, Clarence Verburg, Sadie Johnson, Margaret Vander Stelt, Rein Verburg, and Susan Engel; and her son-in-law, Dave Jones.

Corrie summed up her life thus: “I am truly blessed.”

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 18, 11:00 am, at First Christian Reformed Church in Hanford.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Bristol Hospice, 2439 W Whitendale Ave B, Visalia CA 93277 or to a charity of your choice.