Celia A. (Van Kooten) Zylstra, 84, of Pella, passed away Monday, Apr. 9, 2018, at The Cottages. Funeral services were held Monday, Apr. 16, at 10:30 a.m. at Covenant Reformed Church, Pella. Interment was in Oakwood Cemetery, Pella. Memorial contributions are suggested for The Cottages or Covenant Reformed Church.
Celia Arlene Van Kooten was the third of four children born to Roy and Nellie (Dieleman) Van Kooten. She was born Sept. 3, 1933, in Sugar Creek Twp. near Searsboro. She attended Lynnville Junction Country Grade School near Lynnville and then high school at Searsboro. During those years, she played basketball. Celia and Paul Marvin Zylstra began sharing their lives together while he was in the service. During the Korean War, Marvin was stationed at Fort Bliss, El Paso, TX. While on furlough, Celia and Marvin were united in marriage June 26, 1952, at Sully Christian Reformed Church. To this union three children were born: David Lee, Rodney Dwight, and Brenda Kay. Following his discharge in 1954, they began farming near Kellogg. In 1958, they moved into Pella. Marvin enrolled at Central College in Pella, and at the same time worked as a part-time welder. Marvin started his own shop in 1960, Zylstra’s Welding, Inc, and Celia was the bookkeeper as well as the primary homemaker. She was always a hard worker who enjoyed her flower garden. She will be remembered for her baking skills, particularly her almond tarts and Christmas candies. In later years, she found enjoyment in walking and having coffee time with her friends.
Due to health issues, Marvin and Celia became residents at The Cottages in Pella where she passed away.
Celia is survived by her husband, P. Marvin Zylstra, a resident at The Cottages; three children: David (Phyllis) Zylstra of Pella, Rodney (Sharon) Zylstra of Pella, and Brenda Suter of Norwalk, OH; nine grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren. Of her original family, Celia leaves her brother, Harris (Grace) Van Kooten of Pella; her sister, Muriel (Gary) Tromp of Kentwood, MI; her sister-in-law, Clarine Van Kooten of Sully; a special cousin who grew up with the Van Kooten family, Denny Dieleman of Ankeny; and the following sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Bertha Zylstra of Sully, Nellie Zylstra and Delores Van Rees, both of Pella, Wendall and Dorothy Zylstra of Texas, and Claude and Joan Zylstra of Pella.
Celia was preceded in death by her son-in-law, Tim Suter; great-granddaughter, Brooke Louise Goodyk; her parents; her brother, Donald Van Kooten; her parents-in-law, Paul and Gertie (Vanden Hoek) Zylstra; and the following brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: William John Zylstra, Orville Zylstra, Mary Lou Zylstra and her husbands, Gareth Vande Kieft and Merle Van Steenis, Judy (Claude) Zylstra, and Gary Van Rees.
Celia was baptized and made profession of her faith at Sully Christian Reformed Church. She was a former member of Calvary Christian Reformed Church and was presently a member at Covenant Reformed Church in Pella.
