Jacob Bonnema

Inwood, Iowa Jacob Jay Bonnema, age 85 died Wednesday, March 21, 2007 at Fellowship Village at Inwood, IA. Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 24th at the Christian Reformed Church, 302 East Madison, Inwood, IA, with Pastor Robert Timmer and Pastor Rich Kooistra officiating. Burial will take place at the Richland Cemetery of Inwood. Visitation will be Friday, March 23rd from 4:00 " 8:00 PM with family present from 6:00 " 8:00 PM at the Christian Reformed Church in Inwood, IA. Roste Funeral Home of Rock Rapids is in charge of services. Jacob J. Bonnema was born January 17, 1922 in Sioux County, 3 miles south of Lebenon, IA, the son of Jerry and Bessie (Van Dahm) Bonnema. Jay grew up on the family farm and while he was still a teenager his family moved to Rock Rapids. He worked for area farmers and also with his family on their farm. As a young man of 22 Jay was drafted into the United States Army. After boot camp, but before being deployed overseas, he was united in marriage to Jennie Baker on February 2, 1945, at his parents home at Rock Rapids. While in the Army, Jay served his country as an infantryman, marching across several islands in the South Pacific and as a supply sergeant after the war ended. After 2 ½ years of service he was honorably discharged and returned home to start his new life with Jennie. They made their home on a farm near Inwood, IA, where they remained and farmed until moving into Inwood in 1974. Jay became known as the Handyman of Inwood . He could build or fix almost anything. He was instrumental in building the Inwood Fire and Rescue building and also the Inwood Community Center. He was an active member of the Inwood Christian Reformed Church and served on the founding board of directors of Fellowship Village. It was Jay who was mainly responsible for incorporating the bay windows in each of the residents rooms of Fellowship Village. Jay had a great sense of humor which never faded even when his health declined. Not wanting his family and friends to worry, Jay would say, I dont have an ache or a pain in my body , even though others knew that wasnt actually the case. One of the spare time activities he loved was playing golf at the Larchwood course and despite taking up the game late in life he became quite good, even enjoying a hole-in-one during his golfing career. Jay loved his family, his church family and God. Jay became a resident of Fellowship Village in December of 2005, and died this past Wednesday morning, March 21, 2007, at the Fellowship Village at the age of eighty-five. He is survived by his loving wife of sixty-two years, Jennie of Inwood; their children, Bev and her husband, Marv Arp of Inwood, IA; George and his wife, Corrine Bonnema of Luverne, MN; Sharon and her husband, Glenn Davey of Sheldon, IA; and Judy and her husband, Jay Van Engen of Sioux Falls, SD; ten grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren; and one sister, Ruth Caswell of Rock Rapids. Jay was preceded in death by his parents, Jerry and Bessie; three brothers, Richard, Robert and Larry Bonnema.