Frances Walraven

Frances Walraven, 92, of Oskaloosa, passed away Monday, July 29, 2024, at the Mahaska Health Hospice Serenity House. Frances Louise Walraven, daughter of Cornelius and Grace (Van Veldhuizen) Nunnikhoven, was born March 21, 1932, near Harvey, Iowa, where she attended country school. When she was 10, the family moved near Oskaloosa, where she later attended Oskaloosa High School and graduated with the class of 1949. Following graduation, Frances stayed at home and began working with new mothers in the area, staying in their homes, helping them get situated with their new babies. She loved working with the mothers and babies and held that job for two years, until she was united in marriage to Gerald Nieuwsma in 1951 and the couple moved to Peoria, IA. To this union, three daughters were born. At the time of Gerald’s passing in 1960, they resided on a farm west of Oskaloosa. Frances eventually exchanged houses with a couple that always wanted to live in the country, and she and her three children moved into town. As is God’s way, blessing was brought out of tragedy. Marvin Walraven, a neighborhood friend since childhood, lost his wife a year before Gerald passed. Frances and Marvin courted for four years before being married in August of 1965. For their honeymoon, they took all seven of their children camping in a stock truck, complete with the fridge from the house kitchen, to the Iowa State Fair. Frances, along with her three daughters, joined Marvin and his four children on the farm west of Cedar, creating a busy, bursting-at-the-seams family home. Frances was a very busy homemaker for her family. Raising seven children was not an easy task, but she enjoyed all that accompanied her busy lifestyle. After the children were grown and moved away, Frances worked several years in food services at Oskaloosa Middle School. She enjoyed spending time with family and friends, playing cards, having get-togethers, helping out, or taking vacations. Her hobbies were counted cross stitch and crocheting more afghans than you can count. She was a member of Central Church in Oskaloosa for over 50 years. She also joined the ‘545 Club’ and the ‘Know Your Neighbor Club’, which she loved to attend. After a tornado destroyed the farm house in 1984, Marvin and Frances rented a house in Oskaloosa for a short time, eventually purchasing one there. Several years later, they downsized and moved to Norwich Apartments, where they resided for 11 ½ years, before moving to Homestead in 2016. Her family includes her children and their spouses: Lorna (Dennis) Trachta of Swisher; Jolene (Daryl) Scott of Oskaloosa; Retha (Richard) Dudak of Springville; Karen (Jim) Powell of Oskaloosa; Jonnie (Helen) Walraven of Fairfield; Kathy (Rich) Hugen of Pella; and Jacque (Mike) Jepson of Manson. She is also survived by numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren; as well as a sister, Mary Ann Van Kooten; a sister-in-law, Margy Ann Fynaardt; a brother-in-law, Clayton Gabrielson; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents and first husband, Gerald, Frances was preceded in death by her second husband, Marvin, daughter Kathy Hugen, daughter-in-law Helen Walraven, brother Abe Nunnikhoven, sister Wilma (Boender) Van Weelden, and in-laws: Harriet Nunnikhoven, Sam Boender, Cornelius Van Kooten, Bill Van Weelden, Sylvia and Henry Nieuwsma, Kenneth Fynaardt, Ruby Gabrielson, and Lucile and Don DeWitt. Funeral services for Frances will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, August 3, 2024, at Central Church in Oskaloosa, with Pastor Jon Nelson officiating. The burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery in Pella, Iowa. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to 6. p.m., Friday at Langkamp Funeral Chapel. The family will greet visitors from 9:30 a.m. to service time on Saturday in the church atrium. Memorial contributions can be made to Mahaska Health Foundation for the Hospice Serenity House or Central Church.

Frances Walraven

March 21, 1932 - July 29, 2024