John Koolstra

Mr. John Koolstra, age 86, of Hull, passed away on Tuesday, October 27, 2020, at the Sanford USD Medical Center and Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. There will be a funeral service on Friday, October 30, 2020, at 2:00pm, at the Demco Community Center in Boyden. Mr. Dean Dykstra and Ms. Pat Johnson will officiate. Interment will follow the service at the Hope Cemetery in Hull. Visitation without the family will be on Thursday, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Hull. John was born to Wybren and Martje (De Vries) Koolstra on May 1, 1934, in the village of Marssum in the Netherlands. He grew up in the Netherlands and served in the Dutch Army during which time he had the opportunity to come to America. At the age of 19, he was sponsored by George Braaksma to move to the United States. He worked on the Braaksma and Don Patten farms near Sibley until being drafted into the United States Army, serving in Germany for 18 months. Following his honorable discharge, he returned to the Midwest and made his home in Worthington, Minnesota, where he met Lois Ione Nelson. He and Lois were united in marriage on May 1, 1959, in Worthington, where they continued to make their home. After learning to cut meat from his wife’s brothers, he and Lois spent their working years operating grocery stores and meat counters. For 22 years they owned and operated J&L Clover Farm in Little Rock. They lived in several different communities before retiring to Hull in 2004. John was a member of the Kiwanis Clubs and American Legion Posts as well as volunteering as a fireman in the communities they were a part of. He also served on the Little Rock school board and was instrumental in the merger of the George and Little Rock schools. He enjoyed going to antique stores and flea markets and having coffee with his friends. Survivors include his wife or more than 61 years, Lois, of Hull; five sons, John Koolstra, and his wife, Vivian, of Pella; Gerald Koolstra, and his wife, Lisa, of Dakota Dunes, South Dakota; Bill Koolstra, of Sioux Falls; Daniel Koolstra, and his wife, Heather, of Hull; and Darron Koolstra, of Sioux City; ten grandchildren, Leah, and her husband, Jacob Hoffner; Tanner Koolstra; Karen, and her husband, Ethan Javers; Brandon Koolstra, and his wife, Kelsey; Lucas Koolstra; Sydney Koolstra; Chaelor, and her husband, Taylor Miedema; Hunter Koolstra; Taylor Koolstra; and Riley Koolstra; five great-grandchildren, Freya and Fern Hoffner; Ellie and Violet Javers; and Otto Koolstra; two sisters, Griet Duister, and Baukje, and her husband, Henny Zwart, all of the Netherlands; and several nieces and nephews also in the Netherlands. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a twin brother, Willem Koolstra; and a brother-in-law, Wim Duister.