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Lois Van Ersvelde
LOIS VAN ERSVELDE
Brooklyn
Lois M. Van Ersvelde, 90, a longtime resident of Brooklyn and now of Grinnell, died Friday, Jan. 9, 2015, at her home. Funeral services: 10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 12, at Grace United Methodist Church, Brooklyn, with the Rev. John Dodds officiating. Burial: Brooklyn Memorial Cemetery. Visitation: 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 11, at Kloster Funeral Home, Brooklyn.
Memorials may be contributed to Camp Courageous in her name.
Lois is survived by her children, Roger (Louise) of Brooklyn, Paul (Carol) of Grinnell, Nancy Van Ersvelde of Cedar Rapids and Sara (David) Henderson of Bartlett, Ill.; four grandchildren, Jamie Van Ersvelde (Kelli) of Brooklyn, Jeremy Van Ersvelde (Amy) of Brooklyn, Holly Marquez (Randy) of Chicago and Jeffrey Henderson of Chicago; and six great-grandchildren, Brady Van Ersvelde, Taylor Van Ersvelde, Jordan Van Ersvelde, Baylee Van Ersvelde, Rylie Van Ersvelde and Ian Van Ersvelde, all of Brooklyn. Also surviving are Anke van Heijningen and Willem Hartman, grandchildren of her heart, of Lyndon Station, Wis.; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Bruno; a daughter, Martha Van Ersvelde; and her siblings, Martha Doty, Irene Doty, Forrest Doty Jr., Melvin Doty and Rolland Doty.
Lois Mae Doty was born Nov. 7, 1924, in Grinnell, Iowa, the daughter of Forrest and Nola Mae Tinker Doty. She graduated from Brooklyn High School in 1942. She taught in the rural Iowa and Poweshiek county schools for three years. She married Bruno Van Ersvelde on Sept. 4, 1946, in Brooklyn, Iowa. Following her marriage she spent much of her time raising the children and working the farm with Bruno.
She especially enjoyed the springtime on the farm with all the new animals and "a new beginning." She enjoyed gardening, sewing, quilting, crocheting and making crafts. She taught quilting classes at the True Value Hardware Store in Brooklyn. She and Bruno enjoyed their eight winters in Texas.
Lois was a charter member of the Poweshiek Piecemakers Guild, a 50-year member of the Farm Bureau, and belonged to the WWW Club. Lois was a leader for the Warren Willing Workers 4-H Club and a longtime member of Grace United Methodist Church, Brooklyn.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.klosterfuneral home.com.
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