Closures & Delays News | NCC Announces Summer Career Academy Workshops at Sioux Center Regional Center Iowa – Northwest Iowa Community College (NCC) is excited to offer a new series of Career Academy Summer Workshops during June and July at the Sioux Center Career Academy hands-on workshops give students a glimpse into real-world careers and college life—all while exploring engaging topics in a supportive environment on select Tuesdays and Thursdays and are open to students in grades 4th through 12th Attendees may register for one camp or all For more information or to register, contact Brenda Sandbulte at 712-324-5061 ext. 170 or email bsandbulte@nwicc.edu DC — Congressman Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) has announced that his office will host two in-person passport fairs — one in Iowa — This is National Correctional Officers’ Week Sioux County Sheriff Jamie Van Voorst says that this week Iowa — Over 50 area projects are sharing over $150,000 in grants from an area non-profit gambling license-holder some northwest Iowans may find their driver’s license is no longer an acceptable form of ID Office: 712-324-2597 | Text: 712-324-2597 | Studio: 712-324-5377 Contact us: newstips@kiwaradio.com Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) announced that his office will host two in-person passport fairs in Council Bluffs and Sioux City Iowa – Northwestern College has been selected as one of 10 host sites for the Opening Round of the NAIA Softball National Championship The Raiders will host a four- or five-team pod at the Open Space Park Softball Field in Sioux Center on May 12-15 The winner of the double-elimination bracket will advance to the NAIA Softball World Series in Columbus “We look forward to welcoming some of the nations best softball teams in the country to Northwest Iowa once again this year,” Vice President for Athletics Tony Hoops said “Hosting national events only occur with excellent coaching leadership and tremendous staff support We are blessed to have both to provide a premier postseason experience for all the players.” Northwestern has now been awarded a host bid in back-to-back seasons after hosting in Sioux Center last season and ticket information will be announced after the NAIA selection show on Wednesday Central Methodist (Mo.) – Cox Stadium Complex; Fayette Cumberlands (Ky.) – UC Softball Complex; Williamsburg Georgia Gwinnett – Grizzly Softball Complex; Lawrenceville Indiana Wesleyan – Sue Bowman Field; Marion Northwestern – Open Space Park; Sioux Center Oklahoma City – Ann Lacey Stadium; Oklahoma City Oregon Tech – Stilwell Stadium; Klamath Falls Science & Arts (Okla.) – Bill Smith Ballpark; Chickasha Southern Oregon – University Field; Ashland The Iowa High School Athletic Association has released the third edition of their official soccer rankings for 2025 (Photo Courtesy of Northwestern College – Photo by Lem Maurer) DES MOINES Iowa – Drake women’s basketball has added to its Class 1A School Record LW 1 Denver 9-0-0 1 2 Sioux City Bishop Heelan 8-2-0 2 3 Davenport Assumption 7-1-1 3 Iowa) – The Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) has announced the Women’s Tennis All#Conference selections for 2025 Iowa) – The Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) has announced the Men’s Tennis All#Conference selections for 2025 Axton Miller of Northwestern College is the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Men’s Golfer-of-the-Week Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application at First Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Center A celebration of life service will be held at 10:30 a.m May 5th at First Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Center In lieu of flowers or gifts the Roos family prefers memorials be directed to the ALS Foundation or the Family Crisis Center in Sioux Center Arnola Mae (Schaap) Roos was called to her eternal home on Friday April 25 at Sioux Center Health after a battle with ALS Arnola was born to Arnold & Alberta (Kampman) Schaap in Waterloo She went to Excelsior Christian School for grades K-6 then to Ackley-Geneva Junior High and High School where she graduated in 1983 She went on to Dordt College where she majored in Elementary Education 1986 and they graduated from Dordt in 1987 WA where Arnola taught 3rd grade at Mt Vernon Christian School for one year before starting their family Over the next five years Derick and Arnola welcomed four children into their family: their daughter Arnola was blessed to be able to stay home to raise their four children until their youngest was in school IA where Arnola worked at the Dordt College Bookstore for 12 years and Doelman Financial for 11 years At both 1st CRC of Mt Vernon and 1st CRC of Sioux Center she was active in the life of the church by serving on various committees and leading and attending Bible Studies She also enjoyed volunteering at the Family Crisis Center as time allowed Arnola is survived by her husband of 38 years and 8 grandchildren: Danielle (Christian Barnett) of Austin She is also survived by her six siblings and their spouses: Arlan (Marcia) Schaap of Dike sister-in law Dorenda (Nolan) VanGaalen of Sioux Center Arnola was preceded in death by her parents Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors The Sioux Center Community Foundation has announced its 2025 Generations Grant recipients distributing a total of $32,000 to support nonprofit initiatives that enhance the community aim to fund creative and impactful programs that address emerging needs and strengthen local services This year’s funding supports a diverse range of organizations: The Generations Grants program was established in 2016 during Sioux Center’s 125th anniversary funded initially with $125,000 from the foundation the endowment has provided $264,431 in grants to local nonprofits the Sioux Center Community Foundation has facilitated over $7 million in funding for major community projects Foundation President Kevin Wolterstorff emphasized the importance of growing the Generations Community Endowment Fund through individual gifts and fundraising ensuring continued support for local nonprofits “Our hope is to provide a perpetual financial resource for Sioux Center’s nonprofit community,” he said the Sioux Center Community Foundation continues its mission of fostering a thriving engaged community while supporting organizations that make a meaningful impact These organizations were honored at a ceremony on Wednesday recognizing their contributions to the Sioux Center community (Photo courtesy of the City of Sioux Center) Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) announced that his office will host two in-person passport fairs Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) announced that Ella Strudthoff – a The MOC-Floyd Valley Board of Education announced this morning that they have hired Mr The water main has been replaced from 5th St Iowa’s agricultural community saw a mix of modest gains and subtle shifts Carolyn Van Beek Service Link: https://www.youtube.com/@christcommunitychurchsioux3945/streams at Crown Point Estate Care Center in Sioux Center at Christ Community Evangelical Free Church in Sioux Center A committal service will be held prior the memorial service at Memory Gardens Cemetery Family and friends should gather at Christ Community Evangelical Free Church at 9:45 a.m A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m April 30th at Christ Community Evangelical Free Church in Sioux Center Memorial contributions in Carolyn’s honor can be directed to Sioux Center Christian School and dedication will be cherished by all who knew her and her legacy will remain an inspiration for generations to come Carolyn was the cherished daughter of Hilbert and Alice (Klein) Heynen She attended country school and later graduated from Western Christian High School at Bethel Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Center where they attended until becoming members at Christ Community Church They were blessed with four children—Arlis Carolyn and Rallyn began their journey farming near Maurice and Carolyn contributed as the bookkeeper for the family business Carolyn was a dedicated member of Christ Community Evangelical Free Church where her faith was inspirational and her commitment to serving others was very evident She worked alongside Rallyn in Transport for Christ Their efforts at the TFC chapel in Sioux Falls touched countless lives through the gospel Carolyn’s love of life extended beyond her faith and service She cherished memories of camping adventures with the family Carolyn was blessed with the remarkable ability to play both the piano and organ by ear Her skills in the kitchen were equally admired and her sense of humor left a lasting impression brightening the lives of everyone around her and great-grandchildren was unparalleled; she was deeply involved in their lives and was known as a prayer warrior who always put family first Carolyn is survived by her four beloved children: Arlis De Boer of Sioux Center; Norlyn and Cherie (Arkema) Van Beek of New Holland South Dakota; Brenda and Cal Bolkema of Davenport Iowa; and Verlyn and Michelle (De Groot) Van Beek of Sioux Falls She leaves behind 17 grandchildren (and 35 great-grandchildren): Michael and Gina De Boer Minnesota; sisters-in-law Joyce Heynen and Karen Van Beek both of Sioux Center; brothers-in-law Virgil and Donna Van Beek of West Okoboji Heynen Jr.; and brother-in-law Erwin Van Beek Add to Calendar Complete the form below to RSVP for the Visitation for Carolyn Van Beek Complete the form below to get directions for the Visitation for Carolyn Van Beek Add to Calendar Complete the form below to RSVP for the Graveside Service for Carolyn Van Beek Complete the form below to get directions for the Graveside Service for Carolyn Van Beek Add to Calendar Complete the form below to RSVP for the Memorial Service for Carolyn Van Beek Complete the form below to get directions for the Memorial Service for Carolyn Van Beek Dordt University coaching staff involved with Sioux Center Recreation received the Sioux Center Chamber of Commerce’s Community Service Award this spring as part of the 2025 Spirit of Community event “It’s inspiring to see Dordt University’s coaches draw out the student-athletes abilities on and off the court but if you look closely around the community you’ll see something even more inspiring,” says Dale Vander Berg The coaching staff has become known as a pillar for community involvement by encouraging their teams to engage with the youth through sports and building relationships in everyday life and sacrificing of themselves to become and develop servant-leaders in the community “These coaches are shaping a mindset in their athletes that they are not entitled to anything they’re willing to sacrifice their time Serving others is a key aspect of the Defender Way “We’re extremely blessed to be a part of an athletic department that is very committed to developing our student-athletes and then as servant leaders,” says Jackie Smith finding the opportunities to serve is a team effort as each coach and program gets to identify needs and opportunities to engage with residents and programs in the community “And this awesome community of Sioux Center offers a ton of opportunity for that,” adds Smith Whether it’s the women’s basketball team serving local communities after catastrophic flooding in 2024 the football team engaging with area elementary school students through reading and recess or the women’s volleyball team facilitating fellowship opportunities with Crown Point residents through coffee and crafts the athletic department can be seen throughout the community all year long This community involvement is both a tangible way to express the department’s gratitude for the support they receive on the fields and courts and as a “tangible way for us to equip our student athletes to become servant leaders and to have a kingdom impact,” says Smith continues to be inspired by the coach staff’s willingness to serve in addition to their other responsibilities “These coaches continue to meaningfully engage with all ages “They work with a commitment to serve with excellence they frequently note how much it means to see our coaches and athletes within the community It’s evident that this dedication is creating a lasting kingdom impact.” at Sioux Center Health Hospital in Sioux Center Visitation will be from 3-7PM with the family present from 5-7PM on Thursday 2025 at Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center A prayer service will be held at 10:00AM on Friday Interment will follow the prayer service in Memory Gardens Cemetery in Sioux Center A memorial service will be held at 11:00AM on Friday The Keizer family prefers that memorials be directed to the New Life Church Mission Fund where he spent many happy hours playing ball and riding motorbikes with his neighbors He attended Boyden-Hull schools and graduated with the class of 1984 Erv and his friends were rambunctious and full of fun and the teachers were relieved when they graduated Erv found his greatest joy in playing sports They spent most of their married life in Sioux Center They were blessed with five children: Eric Erv cherished being a father and often spent his time outside playing catch and he loved sharing his sports knowledge with them from gravel trucks with Joe’s Ready Mix to semi-trucks with refrigerated trailers at Te Slaa Trucking He also owned his own truck for several years Erv took a break from trucking to work as a custodian at Sioux Center High School he became certified to officiate basketball often returning home with many entertaining stories to share hauling feed ingredients for Circle J Trucking as he enjoyed driving and being home every night to attend his children’s activities Erv's Christian faith was a core part of his life and he was actively involved in New Life Church in Sioux Center he previously served as a deacon and participated in the chair setup team for many years where he enjoyed reading and discussing some of the lesser-known Old Testament stories with his classmates Erv volunteered frequently at Hot Harley Nights in Sioux Falls which benefited the Make-A-Wish Foundation of South Dakota This cause was close to his heart after his family went on a Make-A-Wish-sponsored trip after Erin fought cancer in 2013 He also volunteered at the Sanford International Golf Tournament which benefits Sanford Children's Hospital in appreciation for the care Erin received there Erv is survived by his loving wife of 33 years Cindy Keizer; sons Eric and Brett; and daughters Erin He is also survived by his brother Larry and wife Lois of Watertown SD; brother Arlyn and special friend Shirley Van Voorst of Brandon SD; sister Marla and husband Ron Schmith of Hawarden IA; and brother Kevin and wife Lynda of Hull With everything from pickleball to a parade Sioux Center is ready to kick off summer right with Summer Celebration June 5-7  Each day is packed with fun for all ages at Te Paske Theatre in the Sioux Center Middle School Tickets: ticketleap.events/tickets/siouxcenterarts/annie Central Park will be packed for the free Community Cook-Out plus local music by the HOME worship band and the Estrellas de Jalisco dancers as you check out classic cars and hot rods at the Cruise-In at Centre Mall’s parking lot The free street dance kicks off downtown at 7:30 p.m and headliner IV Play taking the stage 9 p.m.-midnight Start with a delicious pancake breakfast Saturday morning enjoy food vendors in Central Park all day and buy a ticket to taste entries in the Fire & Smoke BBQ Challenge Saturday afternoon Enjoy the free Kids Karnival and car show at Central Park “We can provide most of the weekend activities for free thanks to amazing support from our sponsors,” stated Chamber CEO “Their generosity and the energy that volunteers from businesses and the community bring makes this truly a community celebration.” “The variety of events planned provide something for everyone from young to old,” said City Manager Scott Wynja “We encourage all to take part in the weekend activities and help us celebrate our community and a kickoff to the summer.” To help people navigate Highway 75 construction in downtown Sioux Center for Summer Celebration the Chamber of Commerce and City of Sioux Center will share maps with directions and parking For more information about the great events planned find Summer Celebration on Facebook and Instagram or visit linktr.ee/summercelebration A visitation will be held from 5:30 - 7:00 PM on Thursday at the Memorial Funeral Home in Sioux Center A funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM on Friday, April 4, 2025, at First Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Center with Rev. Kurt Monroe officiating. Interment will follow the service in Memory Gardens Cemetery in Sioux Center.   Livestream Link: Hazel Nibbelink Livestream Hazel Marie Nibbelink was born on November 16 to Albert and Wieda (Jensma) Sprik in Prairie View Iowa and she graduated from Northwestern Academy in Orange City Hazel was joined in marriage to the love of her life where they cultivated many close friendships She was a determined person and if she decided to do something Hazel would be known by many as the Fuller Brush sales lady She was a top salesperson for Fuller Brush for over 50 years taking enjoyment from getting to know her customers and getting them the products they used She continued working until she retired at the age of eighty-four She was a member of the First Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Center where she served as a pastoral worker and was involved in Gleaners Forum Bible Study and other groups Hazel also served on the county Cancer Board She was a great friend to many and enjoyed gardening and flowers She loved time with family and friends and a good cup of coffee Hazel is survived by her five children: Deb (Jim) Sytsma of Rocky Mountain House Lin (Darcy Emehiser) Nibbelink of Runnells IA Rob Nibbelink of Edwards CO; eight grandchildren: Nathan (Mandy) Suhr-Sytsma of Decatur GA She is also survived by eight great-grandchildren: Rowan and Rosalind Suhr-Sytsma of Decatur GA; Aiden and KayLin Nibbelink of Sibley IA; Kendrick and Raiden Nibbelink of Brewster MN; as well as her sister-in-law Leona Sprik of Edgerton MN She was preceded in death by her husband Bernie all her siblings and Bernie's siblings and parents and great-grandchildren Alexis and Finnleigh Nibbelink The Sioux Center Municipal Utilities wastewater department is welcoming two new team members: Chad DeVries and Matthew Brummel DeVries has joined the staff as the wastewater laboratory technician checking various levels and testing the water along with being part of operating and maintaining the collection and treatment system “Chad is focusing on the lab duties within the wastewater plant which are crucial for the efficient operation of our plant and we’re very glad to have him on board,” Utilities Manager Murray Hulstein said a Sioux Center native and Unity Christian graduate most recently worked in pest control for 5 years and previously started his own trucking business where he was an owner/operator for 13 years “I am enjoying working with the wastewater department and learning here,” De Vries said he enjoys playing golf and spending time with family Brummel has begun in the position of wastewater technician with Sioux Center Municipal Utilities “We’re excited to have Matt join the City team,” Hulstein said “He comes with experience of underground utility construction which will be helpful as we see continued utility growth for our growing community.” Brummel’s work with the Sioux Center wastewater department includes operating and maintaining Sioux Center’s wastewater collection and treatment system and performing laboratory analysis Brummel worked 10 years with Vander Pol Excavating has helped me learn about everything underground and get some understanding of the complete infrastructure of the city,” Brummel said “I’ve worked hand-in-hand with a lot of the City utility staff and moving forward I’ll get the opportunity to help the community in a different way.” Brummel is an Orange City native and a Unity Christian Graduate The annual Sioux Center E-Cycle Event takes place this Saturday morning at Pella’s south loading docks Each year residents and surrounding communities are encouraged to participate in the annual E-Cycle Event They start accepting recyclables at 7:30am and will continue until 9:30am E-Cycle event committee member Jodie Wielenga says it is an opportunity to safely dispose of electronic items in an environmentally safe manner: There are items that will not be accepted such as large appliances She says it is an easy process to get through: Donations collected go towards a local charity The Sioux Center E-Cycle event was first held in 2009 and has continued with a great success It is estimated that 40% of lead found in landfills is from e-waste This E-Cycle Event is sponsored by these environmentally conscious companies: The City of Sioux Center individuals and organizations that make Sioux Center a better place to live and work PPMC was honored for the company’s local initiatives economic impact and unwavering dedication to community service Perdue acquired the legacy Sioux-Preme Packing Company in Sioux Center in 2015 The operations have a long history of supporting important community pillars PPMC donated 80,000 pounds of high-quality protein to feed families in Siouxland processes the pork for these brands at its Sioux Center facility and also co-packs conventional private-label pork as part of its ongoing Sioux-Preme operations With a second further-processing facility just down the road in Sioux City PPMC employs 450 community members and partners with more than 180 independent farm families in the state “In a county that is a top pork producer in the state and nation Perdue’s investment here is part of strengthening our agricultural foundation making an impact not only economically but also by strengthening the fabric of our community through their ongoing contributions to this great place we call home,” said Sioux Center Mayor Dale Vander Berg "We’re proud to be a part of the great state of Iowa and especially in the areas like Sioux Center where we have important operations It’s a tremendous privilege to be a part of this community I see firsthand everyday how we celebrate together and remain committed to making our city the best it can be,” said PPMC Senior Vice President of Pork Operations Gary Malenke PPMC received the community service award alongside fellow honorees including the Dordt University coaching staff and Sioux Center Public Library staff PPMC is part of Perdue Farms. Learn more at www.corporate.perduefarms.com About Perdue FarmsWe’re a fourth-generation Through our belief in responsible food and agriculture and farmers through trusted choices in products and services and exporter of agricultural products and the largest U.S It also ranks as one of the largest suppliers of organic feed ingredients in the world IA following a battle with Alzheimer’s Disease  Visitation will be from 1:30 to 2:30 PM February 22nd at Centerpoint Church in Sioux Center  The funeral service will be at 2:30 PM Burial will follow at Memory Garden Cemetery in Sioux Center Lunch and fellowship will follow the burial at Centerpoint Church.  The Ver Mulm family prefers memorials be directed to Hope Haven or Sioux Center Hospice Pete Ver Mulm Funeral Service Livestream Peter “Pete” Ver Mulm was born February 13 to Robert and Gertrude (Hoekstra) Ver Mulm in Maurice He graduated from Alton High School in Alton Iowa and later in Sioux Center after purchasing the Auto-Dine restaurant They owned the restaurant for 20 years and were known for their broasted chicken Pete and Werna wintered for many years in Mission and Rockport IA; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; two sisters Galen “Dean” (Sandra) Bomgaars of Denver Thelma “Kay” (Ron) Nelson of Tacoma WA; as well as his nieces and nephews and other extended family.  He was preceded in death by his parents.  at Floyd Valley Health Care Center in LeMars A visitation will be held from 6 PM to 8 PM on Friday at the Faith Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Center.  A memorial service for family and friends will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday at Faith Christian Reformed Church with Rev passed away in the early morning hours of January 14 Everything that follows is a testament to his life on earth but we rest assured in the faith that his life in heaven is now exactly as his Savior planned it to be.  Bill’s early life began within the throes of uncertainty and he was surrendered at 6 weeks of age for infant adoption with few details surrounding these circumstances and graciously took him in as their own son He never desired to know his biological parents because he said often “I know exactly who my parents are.” They raised him and his brothers in the footsteps of Jesus and within the framework of Christian education in Southwest Michigan.   He attended Byron Center Christian School and later graduated from Grand Rapids Christian High School “they had a better band director.” His education weighed heavily on his life as he sought out opportunities to be involved in Christian teaching To his loving mother’s pride and dismay he left Michigan and attended Dordt College (now University) Together they forged ahead with his plans to become an educator specifically in the context of teaching young ones to follow Jesus through music 1981 - the summer before Bill’s senior year He later deepened his passion and achieved a Master’s of Arts degree in teaching from Calvin College in Grand Rapids Their lives were and are blessed richly by the places he learned and taught His teaching career took them to many places and job opportunities None of these strayed outside of the boundaries of Christian education He taught at Fremont Christian School (Fremont Edgerton Christian/Southwest Christian HS (Edgerton Sioux Center Christian School (Sioux Center Between these appointments he used his other gifts that brought him joy mostly centered around being a people-person: a restaurant manager He attacked all of these with all of his passion His pride was never more apparent than when he was with his children He also taught them to make enough food for leftovers to keep track of your opponent’s discard pile and to sing different lines of hymns with each passing verse He was as likely to be cheering them on at one of their events as he was to be waking one of them up with his trumpet if they overslept He would ignore how ridiculous things looked and do them anyway if it meant he could make you smile - such as getting “sucked in by the beat” and starting to dance in a crowded mall walking past any store with loud music On Sunday afternoons while the boys were young and shoot hoops between flips of Sunday dinner on the grill He loved cheering for teams that he had in common with his boys - especially the Twins and the Wolverines He never hesitated to trade barbs or give grief to a Royals or Buckeyes fan when the time called for it His fatherhood is imprinted on his four sons; he taught them responsibility and leadership An extension of that was how he welcomed his daughters-in-law as his parents had with him His family grew steadily as he and Darci added to their quiver with each new grandchild His favorite title of all was Grandpa (sometimes Papa or even “P-pop”) and he had a way of making each of his grandchildren feel special in their own way to make a mundane 10 minute grocery store trip into a vacation Grandpa arrived with extra presents in hand for each of the siblings who would otherwise just have watched He was always good for a few dollars or a hard candy for his grandchildren which he kept in his pockets whenever he felt he might need to give one out He leaves behind his soulmate of 43 years of marriage who will dearly cherish his memory until they are reunited He also leaves his four sons and their wives and families - Jeremy & Heather and their 4 sons: Vincent and Theodore; Aaron & Kim and their 2 daughters: Kaylee and Abagail Derek & Allison and their 3 children: Grayson and Taylor & Abbie and their 3 children: Beckett his and Darci’s brothers and sisters with their spouses will also miss him His brothers are Mike Dreise and Ellory Elhart while Darci’s siblings include Keith and Wendy Schonewill and the special place he had for her in his heart He will also depart with a legacy of many thousands of lives touched by his instruction in music He certainly has been fishing and cooking with them since his arrival in glory but is made whole and made new at Christ’s side and will set a table big enough for all of us to eat Thanksgiving dinner with him when we meet again.  at the Crown Pointe Care Center in Sioux Center A visitation will be held from 5 PM – 7 PM on Tuesday at the Memorial Funeral Home in Sioux Center.  A celebration of life service will be held at 10:30 AM on Wednesday at Lebanon Christian Reformed Church with Rev Interment will follow the service in Lebanon Christian Reformed Church Cemetery following the service In lieu of flowers or gifts the Dragstra family prefer memorials be directed to the Lebanon Christian Reformed Church.  Wilmer (Willie) Marlan Dragstra (75) left this earthly life and entered Heaven on Thursday afternoon the son of Chris and Rena (Haverhals) Dragstra and lived his entire life on their farm just west of Lebanon Dordt College (now Dordt University).  He retired from farming at age sixty-two due to ill health but continued to be a mentor and resource for anything farm-related He entered Crown Pointe in January of 2023.  A lifelong member of Lebanon Christian Reformed Church regularly watching their service online every Tuesday morning He read his Bible and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as His Saviour and Lord.  A special love of Willie was playing fast pitch softball he could tell you the score of any basketball you knew you’d be watching some kind of game on his mammoth-sized TV and even get in a little actual conversation now and then A highlight of Willie’s week during football season was attending every one of Jacob’s home football games at Northwestern College in Orange City Sometimes that meant wrapping up in a sleeping bag and wearing gloves and a hat to survive the cold He especially loved to tease his three sisters (whom he called his “three bossy wives”) and the workers and therapists (whom he called his “terrorists” and his “wardens” at Crown Pointe) He loved children and looked forward to Tuesdays when his great-nephew Case would come to visit He also deeply loved his nephews and his one niece (Bethany) Thankful for having shared his life are his siblings: Phyllis (Bryce) Fopma and brother Ken (Julie) Dragstra of Lebanon His nephews and niece include Brady (Rhonda) Fopma His great-nieces and great-nephews include Benjamin and brother-in-law Bernie Sichmeller.  The Dragstra family extends a warm thanks to the Crown Pointe staff who so lovingly cared for Willie during these last two years going “above and beyond” in so many ways.  North Polk handled business Tuesday against a Sioux Center squad that proved to be a suitable sparring partner in the Iowa girls state basketball tournament. The 2-seed Comets (23-2) pulled out a 47-45 win over the 7-seed Warriors (21-3) in the Class 4A state quarterfinals at Wells Fargo Arena "I feel like our defense kept us in the game," said North Polk sophomore Fayth Sullivan but our defense really set the floor and set the tone for the game." Sullivan scored a team-high 13 points and tallied four rebounds Campbell Schulz and Abby Tuttle each poured in 12 points Tuttle and Becca Aagard tacked on 10 rebounds apiece After Aagard disrupted Sioux Center’s opening possession with a block Schulz got North Polk on the board first with a layup in transition Aagard continued to use her 6-foot-3 frame to wreak havoc against Sioux Center’s offense down low The senior Comet collected three of her nine blocks in the first three minutes of action "I think playing volleyball helps a lot," Aagard said but it just feels like it goes in my hand sometimes." More: Iowa high school girls state basketball tournament 2025: Scores, bracket updates daily the Comets were able to take a 4-0 lead thanks to a Schulz drive and layup but Tuttle dished the basketball to Aagard for a field goal to extend North Polk’s lead A pair of layups by seniors Lauren Ausborn and Jada Podey extended the Comets’ advantage to 10-4 Sullivan hit a 3-pointer to give North Polk its largest lead at that point Missed shots by North Polk allowed the Warriors to take the lead for a moment with about a minute and change left in the second quarter Sioux Center’s Amirah Bleeker splashed a go-ahead 3 before Sullivan answered with a shot down low to give North Polk a 24-23 edge Tuttle capped off the second quarter with a field goal to give the Comets a three-point advantage at the break Sioux Center struck first coming out of halftime with a layup before North Polk countered with back-to-back field goals to make it a 28-27 game in favor of the Comets Sioux Center’s Kaylee Traver converted a game-tying free throw before teammate Margo Schuiteman pulled down a rebound off a miss on the second attempt and Maryn Franken converted a go-ahead layup More: How to watch, buy tickets to 2025 Iowa high school girls state basketball tournament Schulz answered with back-to-back jump shots before Tuttle drained a 3 to give North Polk a three-point lead and Sullivan followed it up with a make from beyond the arc to make it a 40-32 game with under two minutes left in the fourth quarter That was until Sullivan drained a rainbow 3 from the top of the key to give the Comets a two-point lead The Comets made two defensive stops in crunch time a block by Aagard followed by a steal by Podey that gave North Polk possession with 21 seconds left in the game The Warriors were able to steal the ball back on an ensuing inbound play but the Comets were able to buckle down defensively in the final seconds Podey secured a steal off a Warriors inbound to punch the Comets' ticket to the state semifinals we have players that buy into defense," said North Polk coach Clint Albertsen they share the ball so when you have a game where you're not shooting well you got to do every other thing right and make the big plays when you had to I think the fact that we're well-rounded helps us in any kind of game." Marc Ray is the high school sports reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. He can be reached at MARay@gannett.com, and on X, formerly Twitter, at @themarcszn at Faith Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Center A prayer service for family and friends will be held at 10:00AM on Tuesday March 11th at Faith Christian Reformed Church The Wolterstorff family prefers memorials be directed to JFA (Justice For All) or Hope Haven.  To watch the memorial service click this link: Clara Wolterstorff Service and Emma (Scheltens) Meyer in Kandiyohi County Minnesota and attended Central Minnesota Christian School through the 10th grade Iowa and graduated from Western Christian High School Clara began teaching grade school at Ocheydan Iowa and later at Central Christian grade school in Prinsburg Wolterstorff at the Bunde Christian Reformed Church near Clara City While in Renville Clara worked as a CNA at the Olivia Hospital and the RenVilla Nursing home before becoming the Activities Director at RenVilla for 31 years She was active in the various churches that she and Nic attended over the years taught Sunday School and especially loved the Friendship Bible Class She participated in the Cross Roads Prison Ministry and volunteered for the American Red Cross in communities experiencing a disaster spent many of their retirement years volunteering with RVICS (Roving Volunteers in Christ Service) They spent a month at a time in their fifth wheel trailer volunteering at Christian camps and ministries helping with repairs and improvements They also volunteered at JFA (Justice For All) on a weekly basis for many years Clara had a great love of nature and choose to be out in God’s Great Creation as much as time allowed She is survived by her children: Roslyn (Cornelius “Corky”) DeBoer of Orland Park Kevin (Bonnie) Wolterstorff of Sioux Center MN; 10 grandchildren; 19 great grandchildren; two sisters and three brothers: Arlene Duininck of Prinsburg sister-in law Verla (Jerry) Meyer and numerous nieces Clara was preceded in death by her parents Herman infant grandsons; Brett Jordan DeBoer and Nathan Mark Wolterstorff; brother Jerry Meyer; brothers-in-law sister/brother-in-law Martha and Bruce Leonard