Tjetje (Tillie) Veenstra, 89, of Pella and formerly of Sully, went home to be with her Lord on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. Family graveside services were held Wednesday, Nov. 25, at Sully Cemetery.
All of Tjetje (Tillie) Veenstra’s days were determined by her loving and wise Creator before one of them came to be. Tjetje was born July 4, 1931, in Zwaagwesteinde, Friesland. She was the youngest of 14 children born to Bereend and Jakke Veenstra. Tjetje completed eighth grade, and then attended a home ec school until the age of 15, when she was needed to help her father at home after her mother’s passing. Her father passed away when she was 21 years old.
She then moved to Den Haag and was employed as a housekeeper and assisted elderly people. It was there that she met Doetze (Dewey) Veenstra. Engaged on Apr. 19, 1954, they were united in marriage at 11 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 1, of the same year, in Westergeest. A few months later on Jan. 28, 1955, they set sail for America and never looked back. Sponsored by several of Doetze’s uncles, they eventually moved two miles west of Sully where they farmed until Dewey died in 2008. She moved to Pella in 2011, where she was loved and cared for the remainder of her days.
Tillie believed in Jesus as her Savior and Lord and, together with Dewey, made profession of faith on May 22, 1958, at Sully Christian Reformed Church. Then on June 8, 1958, she was baptized together with Wes and Jaci. She enjoyed being a mom and remained very busy raising eight children (always mentioning she had “1001 things to do keeping up with her family and living on the farm”). When her children were mostly grown, she opened up her heart and home to children through the Foster Care Program. Many children from infants to teenagers spent some time in her home being fed, cared for, and loved by Tillie. She also worked for a time in housekeeping at the Pella Regional Health Center.
Tillie had a sweet, gentle spirit and a good sense of humor. She was the epitome of contentment and joy. In spite of having dementia, she never forgot the importance of God’s love. She would always tell whoever was listening, “Today is the day that the Lord has made” and to, “rejoice and be glad in it.” Often in her quiet moments, she would whisper (in Dutch), “Heaven and Earth will pass away… (Matt. 24:35)” and, “nothing will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Our Lord (Rom. 8:39).”
Her time of service completed, surrounded by family, Tillie went home to be with her Lord. Her memory will be cherished, and she will be especially missed by her children: Wes (Arlys) Veenstra of Pella, Vern Eekhoff of Sioux Center, Bernie (Rosa) Veenstra of Pella, Anson (Sylvia) Veenstra of Racine, WI, John D. Veenstra of Sioux City, Cathy Veenstra of Pella, Anne Veenstra of San Diego, CA, Susie (Doyle) Beltman of Pella, Caroline (John) Larson of Hardy; 23 grandchildren; and 25 great-grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were her parents, all her siblings, her husband Doetze, and her daughter Jaci Eekhoff.
