Louis Boom

Rock Rapids, Iowa Louis Boom, age 86 of Rock Rapids, IA died Tuesday, August 3, 2010 at the Sanford Hospital in Rock Rapids, IA. Funeral service will be 10:30 AM, Friday, Aug. 6th at the Bethel Reformed Church in Lester, IA, with burial following at Hillside Cemetery in Lester. Visitation will be Friday morning from 9:00 until the hour of service at the Bethel Reformed Church in Lester. Louis Boom, son of Chris, Sr. and Sarah (Miersma) Boom was born on November 9, 1923 in Lyon County on a farm southeast of the present West Lyon School. He started country school in Logan Township #5. In 1933 the family moved to a farm northwest of Lester, where his son, Chris now lives. He attended Lester Public Schools. While in high school Louis played basketball and was a member of the team that won many county championships. He was Captain of the team in both his junior and senior years. He graduated from Lester High School in May of 1942. On November 9, 1945 he married Anna Marie Bouwman in Lester. They lived most of their married life on their farm northwest of Lester. Louis enjoyed farming and the outdoors. He was a lifelong member of the Bethel Reformed Church where he made profession of faith in December of 1946. He was instrumental in building the Lester softball diamond and played many games and managed the Lester Softball Team. Later in life he also umpired many games at the ball diamond. In September of 1982 Louis retired and moved to Rock Rapids, IA, where he lived until July of 2008, when he entered the Lyon Manor Nursing & Rehab Center in Rock Rapids, IA. Louis is survived by his wife of 64 ½ years, Anna Marie; sons, Clifford (Carrie) Boom of Beaver Creek, MN; daughter, Judy (Wayne) Cope of Carlisle, IA; son, Chris (Carol) Boom of Larchwood, IA; eight grandchildren, Rhonda Meester, Ranae (Jason) Johnson, Jennifer (Adam) Swihart, Penny (Josh) Freeman, Molly Cope, Kimberly Boom, Courtney Boom and Ashley Boom; nine great-grandchildren, Dalton and Ashton Meester, Chase and Sydne Johnson, Ethan, Brady and Connor Swihart and Evan and Noah Freeman; a sister, LuBertha Boom of Lester, IA. and many more extended family. He was preceded in death by his parents, Chris Sr. and Sarah Boom; two brothers, Chris Boom, Jr. and Paul Boom; three sisters, Winnie Van Engen, Sarah Bouwman and Jeanette Boom in infancy.