Henry Koetje

Henry Koetje, 78, of Willmar, died Thursday, November 18, at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Minneapolis.
Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, November 22, at Calvary Lutheran Church in Willmar. Burial will be in Cloverleaf Memorial Park Cemetery in Willmar. Military Honors will be provided by the Finstad-Weeks V.F.W. Post 1639 of Willmar. Visitation will be 3-6 p.m. Sunday at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar and one hour prior to the service at the church.
Henry Koetje was born July 22, 1932, in Raymond, Minnesota, to Jacob, Sr. and Dora (Schlaak) Koetje. He grew up in Raymond and worked on the family farm near Raymond and later near Brooten and also worked on the neighboring farms. In May 1956, he entered the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany. He was honorably discharged in April 1958. Henry then worked in construction in Montana for a short time before returning to Willmar where he drove taxi cab and city bus. On April 30, 1961, he married Janice Mae Brede at Trinity Lutheran Church near Hector and they made their home in Willmar. Henry was baptized on October 7, 1961 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Willmar. In 1961, he and his brother, Jake, bought into the taxi business and formed Courtesy Taxi. They were later joined in the business by their brother, August. Henry also operated a service station with the taxi business and worked as a mechanic. In the late 1960s, they sold the taxi business and Henry worked as a mechanic and hauling fertilizer for Cenex for a few years. In November 1970, he began working as a contract driver for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1980 and was forced to retire in 1990 due to progression of the disease. His wife, Janice, cared for him at home until November 1997 when he entered the VA Medical Center in St. Cloud. On December 2, 1998, he moved to the Minnesota Veterans Home in Minneapolis and had resided there since.
Henry was a member of the V.F.W., the Disabled American Veterans, and the Paralyzed American Veterans. He was one of the most active residents of the Veterans Home and took part in nearly every activity that took place there, including physical therapy, cooking group, playing Bingo, and making poppies in the work room. He enjoyed crafts, leatherwork, ceramics and models. He also enjoyed the VA trips to Camp Courage and the State Fair, where he enjoyed eating foot long hotdogs. He was an avid Minnesota Twins fan and loved teasing or a good joke.
He is survived by a daughter: Cheryl (and Thomas) Lenertz of Tracy; three grandchildren: Kimberly (and Scott) Torkelson, Michael Lenertz and Michelle Lenertz, all of Tracy; a great-grandchild: Gabriel Torkelson; a sister: Henrietta Naber of Renton, WA; a sister-in-law: Arlys Schmeling of Hector; several nieces and nephews; and other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife: Janice in 2007; four brothers: Garrit (and Jennie) Koetje, Harold (and Alice) Koetje, August Koetje and Jake Koetje, Jr.; and two brothers-in-law: LeRoy Naber and Elmer Schmeling.