Ed and Grace Kok's wedding picture. April 10, 1923. |
Ed and Grace Kok |
Ed & Grace Kok Family. Back row: Hilbert, Edward, Marvin, Louis, Elizabeth; Middle: John; Front row: Matthew, Grace, Marcia, Edward. |
"Children, love the Lord." |
Grace and Ed Kok by their Jackman Road house. |
1901-2001 Ed & Grace Centennial! Edward Kok 1901-1961 Grace Kok 1901-1982 Edward Franken Kok was born April 11, 1901 in Hull, Iowa. His parents were Hilbert John Kok and Margje Franken, immigrants from the province of Drenthe, the Netherlands. Ed Kok had one older brother, John Hilbert, and two younger sisters, Marie (later Van Weerdhuizen) and Alyda (later Schouten). His father was one of three brothers and three sisters who had immigrated from the Netherlands, bringing with them their 66-year-old father, Jan Hilbert Kok, in 1892. They settled first in Iowa, then, in about 1904, they all moved to Lynden Washington, where Ed lived for the rest of his life. Grace Van Dalfsen Kok was born April 21, 1901 in Le Mars, Iowa. Her parents were Lambertus Van Dalfsen and Elizabeth Stuurmans. She had one older brother, John, and one younger brother, Cecil. The Van Dalfsens were immigrants from Genemuiden, the Netherlands. They also settled first in Iowa, and they later moved to Everett, Washinton. History has not recorded how Ed and Grace met, but they were married on April 10, 1923 in the First Christian Reformed Church in Lynden. One unconventional aspect of their wedding was that one of the songs was Ave Maria, an unusual selection at a Reformed service. Ed and Grace lived on their dairy farm on the Jackman Road and raised eight children there. In 1958, when Ed developed heart troubles, they move to town, and Ed worked in the Lynden Department Store. Sadly, he died of heart failurein 1961, when he was only 60 years old. He lived to see only 20 of his and Grace's 33 grandchildren. Grace continued to live in various houses and apartments in town, gardening, sometimes painting, and always welcoming her family's visits, until her own death at the age of 81. Ed Kok was elected church elder several times, helped found Bethel Christian Reformed Church, and was twice a delegate to the Christian Reformed Church's Synod. People who knew him speak of his kindness and gentleness, and his eloquence in prayer. Grace Kok was blessed with natural artistic talent. She painted beautiful pictures, and she enjoyed needlework, embroidery, knitting, and crocheting. She also was an enthusiastic gardener. She loved flowers, especially roses. She was a woman of prayer. At her funeral, the minister reminded the mourners of how she prayed for each one of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren by name every day. |
