Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, Bertha Schut, 96, of Pella, entered her eternal home from The Cottages in Pella where she had been a resident since Aug-ust 2019. Memorial service was at 11 a.m. Thursday, Mar. 5, at Calvary Christian Reformed Church in Pella preceded by the committal service at Oakwood Cemetery, Pella. For those desiring, memorial contributions may be designated for Pella Christian Grade School.
Bertha Cornelia De Koning was born May 3, 1923, in her parents’ home northwest of Lynnville. She was the second of six children born to Case and Elizabeth (Jansen) De Koning. Bertha received her grade school education at the Rock Creek #4 Jasper County rural grade school and in 1975 completed her GED.
While attending a Young People’s Society meeting at the Prairie City Christian Reformed Church, she met Jacob Dennis Schut. They were later married on Feb. 21, 1945, at her parents’ home near Monroe. God blessed Bertha and Jake with five children: Joann Eileen, Ronald Lee, Marvin Gene, Lois Faye, and Larry Duane. Jake and Bertha started farming and moved into the house where he had lived since 1936. They farmed near Fairmont for 20 years and then near Monroe for 15 years. Jake continued in the dairy business, and he retired from the Vernon Company in Newton. In 1980, they moved into Pella into a new home they had built at 1337 North Prairie Street. Bertha and Jake were longtime members of the Prairie City Christian Reformed Church and became members of the Calvary Christian Reformed Church when they moved into Pella. Bertha had been active as a Sunday School teacher, J.O.Y. Society, Coffee Break nursery, and Willing Workers. Remembering her family heritage, even at her advanced age of 96 years, she could still offer to sing a Dutch Psalm.
Those who will cherish her memory are four children and their spouses: Joann Meade of Woodbridge, VA, Ronald and (Marcia) Schut of Pella, Marvin (Cinda) Schut of Altoona, Lois (Wayne) Steenhoek of Newton; her daughter-in-law, Lenora (Larry Schut) and Stuart De Haan of Pella; 10 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren. Of her original family, Bertha leaves one sister, Joan (Gilbert) Schut of Pella and two sisters-in-law, Margaret (Carroll) De Koning of Leighton and Berdena (Schut) Beyer of Pleasant Hill.
Bertha was preceded in death by her husband Jake in 1998; her son Larry Schut in 2012; son-in-law James Meade in 2002; her parents; her three brothers and their wives: Albert and Dorothy De Koning, Dick and Dorothy De Koning, Carroll De Koning; her sister, Harriet and her husband, Arthur Vande Kieft; her brother-in-law, Gilbert Schut; her parents-in-law, Walter and Jennie (Bos) Schut; and a brother-in-law, John Beyer.
