Corstian Klein

Corstian Klein

Corstian Klein, the son of Meindert “Mike” and Jacoba (deWaard) Klein, went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on April 28, 2008, at the age of 82.
  Born on Jan. 28, 1926, in Armour, S.D., he had very fond and vivid memories of his childhood growing up in South Dakota, which spanned the Great Depression and the “dust bowl.” His mother died when he was 9 years old. After the Depression, Corstian’s father moved the family to Everson.
  Shortly after moving to Washington, Corstian was drafted by the U.S. Army as an infantryman in World War II. Returning to Whatcom County following the war, he met and married the love of his life, Alice. Her father, William Van Werven Sr., a carpenter, hired Corstian to work for him and taught him the trade.
  He proceeded to earn, with honors, a bachelor’s degree from Seattle Pacific College and a bachelor of divinity degree at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Mich. He studied theology at the University of Utrecht, the Netherlands, where he and his family lived for a year. Preaching both in English and Dutch, he served several churches in Canada and the U.S. In 1970, Corstian and Alice moved their family to Washington where he was able to start a construction company.
  Corstian was preceded in death by his loving wife of 54 years, Alice (VanWerven) Klein. He was a loving father to his children: Sandy (Eldon) VanderPloeg of Lynden, Kendall (Janice) Klein of Everson, Karen (Jim) DeGroot of Lynden and Michael (Rebecca) Klein of Stanwood; a proud grandfather of: Nick, John and Scott VanderPloeg, Katie (Oakes), McKenzie and Courtney Klein, Zach and Chelsea Marr, Malorie, Trent, Kyle and Ryne DeGroot and Adam Klein; a great-grandfather to Grace Oakes and Olivia VanderPloeg; and a dear brother and brother-in-law to Hermina Arendse, Tillie and Dewey Bajema, Anne and Pierson Dykstra, Nellie and Wes Kiel, Merlin and Cathy Klein and Albert Klein, Ruth Haydeen, Bill and Josie Van Werven, Hilda DeHaan and Irene Bartok.
  Graveside services with military honors in Monumenta Cemetery were held Friday, May 2, followed by a memorial service at First Reformed Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to One to One Ministries, 206 South B.C. Ave., Lynden, WA 98264.
  You are invited to share your memories and condolences in the online guest book at www.gilliesfuneralhome.com.
  Arrangements are entrusted to Gillies Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Lynden.