Funeral services for Erma De Haan, 89, of Pella were held Dec. 2, 2014, at Trinity Reformed Church in Pella for which memorials have been designated along with GEMS and Cadets. Interment was in Oakwood Cemetery in Pella. Erma passed away on Thursday afternoon, Nov. 27, at The Cottages in Pella after suffering a fall in early October.
Erma May Roorda was born Apr. 27, 1925, and raised on the family farm northwest of Pella. She was the fifth child of Wigert and Reino (Borgman) Roorda. Erma attended Pella public schools and graduated from Pella Community High School in 1944. After high school, she worked at the co-op grocery store. Erma met Adrian Paul De Haan at a family birthday party, and after Adrian was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy, they were united in marriage on Sept. 19, 1946.
Erma and Adrian moved to his family farm five miles southeast of Pella and began farming. To this union six children were born. Erma lived on the farm until shortly after Adrian died Nov. 18, 1994. In the summer of 1995, she moved to a house in Pella. In February 2011, she moved to an apartment at Fair Haven East. In January 2014, she moved to the The Cottages in Pella where she enjoyed putting puzzles together, planting and watering flowers, sitting outside on the patio with the other residents, and talking Dutch to her care workers.
Erma helped Adrian with farming, while raising five children and tending a large garden. They enjoyed traveling, camping, hosting gospel singers in their home, and attending many gospel sings. Erma assisted Adrian with the Annual All Day Country Gospel Sing held in July at the West Market Park in Pella each year from 1976 to 2000.
Erma was a faithful member of Trinity Reformed Church in Pella where she volunteered to teach children's Sunday school, helped in the nursery, assisted with GEMS, and was a member of Hope Circle. She also served meals in the church kitchen each May during Tulip Time.
Erma's hobbies included sewing, gardening, tending to her perennial blooms and outdoor flower baskets, Pella Historical Society membership, and making genealogy books for all five of her children. She loved and enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren while they were growing up.
Erma was preceded in death by her sister, Esther Roorda; her parents; her parents-in-law, Tunis and Sarah (Van Steenis) De Haan; her daughter, Linda LaRue De Haan who died in infancy; her husband; her brother and sister-in-law, Paul and Eva Mae Roorda; her brother-in-law, Raymond Newendorp; her nephew, Ronald Newendorp; and her sister-in-law, Wilma (De Haan) Roorda.
Erma is survived by her five children: Robert (Twyla) De Haan of Pella, Douglas (LuAnn) De Haan of Otley, Larry (Elizabeth) De Haan of Los Angeles, CA, Stuart De Haan of Pella, and Debra Gripenberg of Johnston; 13 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; one niece; and many nephews. Of her original family, Erma leaves two brothers and one sister: Walter Roorda of Pella, Clara Newendorp of Pella, and Carl Roorda of Rock Falls, IL.
