Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017, Louise Nikkel’s life on earth was complete, and she passed away peacefully at the Comfort House in Pella at the age of 82 years from complications of pneumonia.
Funeral services will be at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 2, at Calvary Christian Reformed Church in Pella. Memorials have been designated for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Pella Christian High School.
Bernice Louise Goodyk was born Feb. 5, 1934, the youngest of 10 children, to Johannes J. and Sadie (Spoelstra) Goodyk in Sully.
Louise attended Brown and Andreas Country Schools. In fifth grade, she transferred to Sully Christian School and graduated in 1948. She was a 1952 graduate of Pella Christian High School, graduating with top honors.
Feb. 27, 1953, Louise married Wilbur Nikkel in Sully. They were blessed with five children: Steven, Gweneth, Carolyn, Arthur, and Jeffrey. Louise and Wilbur farmed near Newton, Sully, and Prairie City, and moved to Pella in 1976. Over the years, Louise worked at Jasper County Savings Bank, Hilltop Manor, Metropolitan Federal Bank, and most recently in the jewelry department at Walmart in Pella for 15 years.
Louise had been a member of Sully Christian Reformed Church and Prairie City Christian Reformed Church. She was a current member of Calvary Christian Reformed Church in Pella.
Louise was a faithful and loving wife, mother, and grandmother. Some of her favorite pastimes were gardening, birdwatching, baking, cooking, and travelling. She enjoyed singing with the Gospelettes from Prairie City Christian Reformed Church for 20 years. Louise was also a member of the Precious Moments Club.
Those left to cherish her memory are her children: Steven (Carolyn “Mimi”) Nikkel of Chattanooga, TN, Gweneth (Galen) Duckstein of Des Moines, Carolyn (Bryan) Harthoorn of Pella, Arthur (Kristin) Nikkel of Grayslake, IL, and Jeffrey and Larry Hutchcroft-Nikkel of Marshalltown; nine grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister Joanne Spykerman; and in-laws: Joel Spykerman, Esther Goodyk, Anna Mae Nikkel, Harriet Zylstra, Lucille Nikkel, Joann Nikkel, Sylvia (Gysbert) Menninga, Bruce (Joyce) Nikkel, and Nelson (Norma) Nikkel; and many nieces and nephews.
Louise was preceded in death by her husband Wilbur in 1998, her mother in 1966, her father in 1954, her daughter-in-law Carol Nikkel in 2009; siblings and their spouses: Wiebe (Freda) Goodyk, Case Goodyk, Tena (Gerrit) Roose, Charlotte (Albert) Beyer, Peter (Gertrude) Goodyk, Henry (Betty) Goodyk, Adriana Roose, Jacob (Wilma) Goodyk; and in-laws: Cornelia (Fred) Loynachan, Jennie (John) Van Maanen, James Nikkel, Robert Zylstra, Edward Nikkel, Leo Nikkel, and Jan Nikkel.
