Nola Emmert, 96, died Dec. 24, 2016, in Pella. Funeral services were held Tuesday, Dec. 27, at Garden Chapel Funeral Home in Pella. Memorials have been designated for Liberty Evangelical Free Church – Building Fund and Pella Historical Society.
Nola Fern Monsma was born to Dirk and Anna Elscott Monsma on a farm south of Lynnville on Jan. 13, 1920. She attended Ludwick Country School and graduated eighth grade from Jasper County Country Schools in 1932 with honors. In 1936, she graduated from Lynnville High School at the age of 16. After dating four years, she married Glen Vande Krol on Feb. 14, 1939. To this union four children were born: Dorothy, Keith, and the twins Jerry and Judy. They farmed together on a farm south of Lynnville until 1956 when they moved to the Vande Krol family farm south of Sully.
In July 1960, her husband Glen passed away unexpectedly, leaving her with three children at home. She then moved her family to Sully and had small employment jobs until she became school board secretary for the Lynnville-Sully School District.
When the twins were ready for college in 1967, she moved to Ames so they could attend Iowa State University and live with her. She was then employed at the ISU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. In 1969, she moved to Pella and worked at the Pella Medical Center for two years. She married Keith Emmert on May 30, 1971, and they were happily married for 44 years. Most of these years were spent centered around the lives of their combined families.
She and Keith loved to travel and traveled extensively across the United States, several times to Europe, and also cruised the Panama Canal. They spent many winters in Florida. She was fortunate to travel to The Netherlands with friends and family and visited Arizona multiple times.
Nola was instrumental in starting Christian Women’s Club in Pella which she enjoyed. She was very involved in Bible studies, teaching Sunday School, and working with children. She loved to cook, bake, quilt, crochet, knit, and in later years, she loved her word search puzzle books. Her apple pies and fried chicken were the best! Nola will always be remembered for her sweet, caring, and loving personality.
Nola accepted the Lord as her personal Savior as a teenager and witnessed and lived her faith the rest of her life. She was a wonderful example of a Christian woman who loved the Lord. At the time of her death, she was a member of the Liberty Evangelical Free Church in Pella where she enjoyed the fellowship with others in serving the Lord.
Those left to cherish her memory are her children and families: Dorothy (Merlyn) Vander Leest of Pella, Judy (Dave) Minnick of Nevada, and Jerry Vande Krol of Venice, FL; her brother, Gordon Monsma; her brother-in-law, Earl Vande Krol; and sisters-in-law, Helen Vande Krol and Gladys Vande Krol.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Glen Vande Krol; her second husband, Keith Emmert; her son, Keith Vande Krol; and her brother, Dwight Monsma.
