Mae De Gooyer

Mae De Gooyer, 90, of Sioux Center, IA, died Saturday, December 28, 2024, at Sioux Center Health in Sioux Center, Iowa. 

A visitation will be held from 5 PM – 7 PM on Wednesday, January 1, 2025, at the New Life Church in Sioux Center. 

A prayer service will be held at 8:45 AM on Thursday, January 2, 2025, at New Life Church. Interment will follow the prayer service in Sherman Township Cemetery of rural Maurice, Iowa. 

A memorial service for family and friends will be held at 11:00AM on Thursday, January 2, 2025, at New Life Church with Rev. Dan Kruse officiating. 

Mae De Gooyer of Sioux Center went to be with Lord on Saturday, December 28th, 2024, in the Sioux Center Hospital. She passed peacefully surrounded by her family and loved ones at the age of 90 years old.

Ella Mae (Mae) Vander Wilt was born to Anthony (Tony) and Grace (Roetman) Vander Wilt at their family farm near Middleburg on May 14th, 1934. She attended the Capel County School near Middleburg, and liked to say she was one of the “Middleburg girls.” She then attended public school in Sioux Center, graduating at 17 years old in 1951 before receiving an associate degree from Northwestern Jr. College in Orange City and teaching grade school for one year. 

On October 29th, 1954, Mae was united in marriage to Donald (Don) De Gooyer Jr. Together, they had four children: Veryl, Doug, Cheri, and Kari. Aside from one year spent in Virginia at the end of Don’s military service, the family called Sioux Center home. Although the marriage eventually ended in divorce, Mae’s family was her joy throughout her life. Her greatest joys and moments of happiness would be when she was surrounded by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Throughout her life, Mae served a variety of roles in the health field and first started as a CNA before becoming an aide and then co-director for Sioux County Public Health in 1979. Her longest employment was with the Sioux Center Medical Clinic as a receptionist where she loved greeting people and helping them at the front desk. She worked full-time at the clinic until the age of 70 before she partially retired and took a part-time position at ATLAS of Sioux Center where she worked for two years. She loved working with people and serving her community throughout the years.

Mae enjoyed many creative and fulfilling activities throughout her life. Before moving to Crown Pointe, she enjoyed cooking and baking, including her “famous” homemade buns and her favorite Maisy Daisy coconut cake. Upon moving to assisted living two years ago, Mae greatly enjoyed the people, staff, and activities, especially Wednesday morning Bingo! In her spare time, Mae could be found reading, completing word searches, crocheting, or stitching embroidery. She embroidered a blanket for each of her great-grandchildren, all 16, and finished the last blanket just a few weeks ago. She was fortunate to be able to go on several trips with a close group of friends, and in recent years, you would find her at Cenex with her Saturday night ladies. Mae and her groups of ladies enjoyed playing cards and years of friendship together. 

But Mae’s greatest loves were Jesus and her family. She took every opportunity she could to spend time with both. She was a member of New Life Church where she loved serving coffee, participating in bible studies, and being in the prayer room. Mae served as a prayer warrior for the congregation, and she had a gift for lifting others up in prayer as their paths crossed. She had a long-time Friday morning prayer group, as well as with several other ladies that she met with regularly. 

Mae often said “prayer changes things”.

Mae is survived by her children, their spouses, grandchildren and great-grandchildren:

Veryl’s daughter, Becky and Andy Riskedahl of Alton and their daughter Josey. 

Doug of Sioux Falls

Cheri and Kraig Hulstein of Sioux Center and their children;

  Ryan and Amanda Hulstein of Sioux Center and their children; Ruby, Cohen,     Garrett and Thea

 Katie and Evan Freemyer of Omaha and their children; Abraham, Maebel, Winifred, Alpheus and Opal

 Hannah and Matt Smolders of Sioux Center and their children; Bo, Levi, Zeke and Naomi

 Maggie of Papillon

Kari and Marlin Van Klompenburg of Maurice and their children; 

 Austin of Maurice

 Michaela and Brady Chadwick of Kingsley and their children; Charlotte and Joel

Sister-in-law, Maureen De Gooyer and Brother-in-law, Jim De Gooyer.

Mae was preceded in death by her parents; Anthony and Grace Vander Wilt; her son, Veryl De Gooyer; great-granddaughter, Isabella Chadwick; sister and brother-in-law, Sophia and Ed De Jongh; brother and sister-in-law, John and Yetty Vander Wilt; parents-in-law, Donald and Dean De Gooyer; brother-in-law, Millard De Gooyer and sister-in-law, Charlene De Gooyer.