Mr. Robert Boonstra, age 89, of Orange City, passed away on Sunday, November 4, 2012, at the Happy Siesta Care Center in Remsen.
There will be a memorial service on Wednesday, November 7, at 3:00pm, at the American Reformed Church in Orange City. The Rev. Keith Krebs will officiate. Interment will be prior to the service at the West Lawn Cemetery in Orange City. There will be a prayer service on Wednesday, at 2:00pm, at the church.
Visitation with the family present will be on Tuesday, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm, at the church. Arrangements are with the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.
Robert was born on November 22, 1922, in Sioux Center, the son of Dick and Ann (Extra) Boonstra. He was raised mostly at Maurice, and he served in the United States Navy during World War II on a destroyer escort in the North Atlantic.
On November 1, 1946, he married Myrna Mae Moret at the Boyden Presbyterian Church. They made their home in Orange City, where he represented the Kirby Vacuum Company for many years. They also wintered in Arizona for several years. In March of this year, he became a resident of Happy Siesta.
Bob was a member of the American Reformed Church and in earlier years at Calvary Christian Reformed Church. Bob used his many musical talents, including directing the church choir and men’s chorus, and organizing quartets and Christmas cantatas. He also organized a chorus at their park in Arizona.
He enjoyed fishing, gardening, picking-up trash around the streets of Orange City, traveling in their motor home, and writing poetry. From the age of 62, until the age of 87, he ran 3 to 12 miles a day. He also participated in and raised money for the Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society many times.
Survivors include his wife of 66 years; two sons and their wives, Bob and Patricia Boonstra and Bryan and Pam Boonstra, and two daughters and their husbands, Gail and Rusty Marincovich and Lisa and Doug Burg, all of Orange City; ten grandchildren, Jeff Boonstra, and his wife, Michelle, of Dakota Dunes, South Dakota; Andy Boonstra, of Omaha, Nebraska; Ryan Marincovich, of Las Vegas, Nevada; Ben Marincovich, of Omaha; Maria Plueger, of Sioux City; Isaac Plueger, of New York City, New York; and Tessa, Sera, Anton, and Ben Burg, all of Orange City; two great-grandchildren, Jackson and Tanner Boonstra, both of Dakota Dunes; three brothers, Harold Boonstra, of Chicago, Illinois; Norman Boonstra, and his wife, Velma, of Spencer; and Rudy Boonstra, of Orange City; and a sister, Mary Mouw, and a brother-in-law, Frank Vogel, both of Orange City.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Lois Vogel; a sister-in-law, Ann Boonstra; and a brother-in-law, Vernon Mouw.
Memorials will be directed to the MOC-FloydValley District Foundation, to help students purchase musical instruments.
