Grace Boekhout

Little Rock, IA Grace Boekhout age 92 of Little Rock, IA died Friday, March 16, 2012 at the Sibley Nursing & Rehab Center in Sibley. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 20, 2012 at First Presbyterian Church in Little Rock, with Reverend Scott Burdsall, officiating. Burial will follow in the Pleasant View Cemetery at Little Rock. Visitation will be Monday, March 19th at the First Presbyterian Church of Little Rock from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. with the family present from 6:00 " 8:00 p.m. The Jurrens Funeral Home of Sibley is in charge of arrangements. Grace Boekhout was born in Hospers, IA on March 12, 1920 to Henry and Johanna (Leusink) TeGrootenhuis. She was raised on the family farm and graduated from Hospers High School in 1937. After high school she attended Northwestern Junior College and received a teaching degree. In the fall of 1939 she started teaching at Little Rock Community School. While teaching she met Peter G. Boekhout of Little Rock. They were married on June 14, 1943 at the First Reformed Church in Newkirk, IA. They spent their first year of married life in Long Beach, CA where Pete worked at Douglas Aircraft. They then moved to Rock Rapids, IA for a short time and eventually moved back to Little Rock where they lived the rest of their married life and raised their 3 daughters. Grace went back to teaching in 1960 and taught 4th, 5th, and 6th grades for another 25 years, before retiring in 1985. She also finished her BA teaching degree in 1968 at Northwestern College in Orange City, IA. Grace became a widow at the age of 50 when Pete suddenly passed away in 1970. During her retirement she was able to travel to many places such as Europe, San Diego, and go on many tours. Because of failing health she became a resident of Sibley Nursing and Rehab in August of 2007 where she passed away on March 16, 2012 at the age of 92 years. Grace enjoyed traveling, reading, needlework, and spending time with her family especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Being involved in her church, First Presbyterian of Little Rock was very important to Grace. One of her favorite pastimes was drinking tea in the afternoon with the tea ladies. Grace leaves to cherish her memory 3 daughters: Linda (Loy) Rickman of Sunrise Beach, MO; Sally (Allan) Simdorn of Harlan, IA; Nancy (Dane) Nordquist of Canby, MN " 7 grandchildren: Greg (Julie) Rickman, Susan Rickman and her husband Rob Heidrick, Shari (Ray) Nowaczyk, Sandy (Josh) Porter, Molly (Tony) Miller, Justin and Nicole Nordquist, and 6 great-grandchildren: Colin, Patrick, Lauren, Karson, AJ, and Tori. She was preceded in death by her husband, Peter G. Boekhout; her sister, Hendrene TeGrootenhuis; her brother, William (Bill) TeGrootenhuis; and her parents, Henry and Johanna TeGrootenhuis.