Feb. 21,1934 – March 23, 2023

Cornelia (Dot) Van Essen was born in Edgerton on February 21, 1934, to Pete and Ella (Christians) DePoorter. She attended school in Pipestone until 8th grade. When her parents moved to a farm near Edgerton, she went to the Christian school, and graduated in 1952 from Edgerton Public School. After graduation she worked at the telephone office.

Dot was united in marriage to Henry J. Van Essen on May 18, 1954, at the First Christian Reformed Church. The couple had four children: Cal (Karen), of Castle Pines, Colorado, Diane (Stan) De Yager of Lake Forest Park, Washington, Sharon Schonewill (Kevin) of Holland, Michigan, and Delwyn (Diane) of Littleton, Colorado. Dot and Henry had 15 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren.

Dot later purchased the grocery store in Edgerton with Mary Ann Drooger and they ran it together for 9 years. The couple then moved to Sioux Falls, S.D., where she worked for 10 years at Sunshine Food Market. While living in Sioux Falls, Dot volunteered at the Heart Hospital, the Luke Society, and the Furniture Mission. She enjoyed many homemaking activities such as sewing, embroidering, painting artwork, cooking, and baking. She stayed active playing golf, bicycling, and loved playing board and card games while entertaining friends. She and Henry enjoyed a lot of traveling, and spent winters in Arizona for many of their later years.

In the past year the couple moved to Michigan to be cared for by their daughter. Henry passed away in July of 2022. After a short illness this spring she passed away on March 23, 2023. At the time of her death, Dot was a member of the First Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Falls. 

A private family memorial service is being planned.