Gertie Verwers

Gertie Verwers, of Newton, passed from this life on Saturday evening, Feb. 13, 2016, at Park Centre Health Care, under the loving care of WesleyLife Hospice.

Gertie Verwers, 93, was born Aug. 13, 1922, in Jasper County, the daughter of Willem and Maatje (Koopmans) Van Manen. She was a graduate of the Sully Senior High School, and Normal Training at the Iowa Teachers College in Cedar Falls.

On Aug. 13, 1940, Gertie was united in marriage with Marion C. Verwers in Princeton, Mo. They farmed near Fifield, Iowa, which is now located beneath Red Rock Lake, and in 1953 near Kellogg, moving to Newton in 1973. She had many places of employment. She and Marion cleaned the Pence Funeral Home after their retirement, the Maytag Dairy was a fun job during the Christmas season for many years, and her nurse’s aid position at Skiff Hospital was perfect for her caring spirit. She recently completed 20 years of employment at Rock Printing and worked several days in December.

She devoted her life to her husband, children, friends and church, and was a member of the Newton First Assembly of God. Gertie was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend, she will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved her. She enjoyed traveling and helping people.

Gertie is survived by her sons and daughters: Carroll (Linda) Verwers of Leesburg, Fla., Marj (Ken) Zimmerman of Pleasant Hill, Violet (Junior) Van Gorp of rural Newton, Dee (Paul) Van Zee of Pella, and Gordon (Shirley) Verwers of Atlanta, Ga.; her 11 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter; a sister Nellie Van Wyk; many nieces and nephews; and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Marion C. Verwers on Nov. 17, 1986; her three brothers and their wives; two sisters-in-law and a brother-in-law.

Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 17 at the Pence-Reese Funeral Home in Newton. A time of Remembrance and services will be at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 18, at the Newton First Assembly of God, with burial at the Newton Union Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be left in Gertie’s name with her family or to the Newton First Assembly of God, Kellogg Historical Museum, WesleyLife Hospice or a charity of your choosing.

Online condolences may be left at www.pencefh.com.