Martha Zoetewey

Martha Zoetewey was born to Tom and Henrietta huizenga on April 22, 1916. The family lived in a two-room tarpaper house on East colfax across from fitzsimmons Hospital. Transportation anywhere was by horse and buggy or wagon. Her father raised hay and wheat. The family moved several times finally settling at 470 South Colorado Blvd. (in front of the present Target store). Her brother Pete and sisters Gertrude and Cornelia (Connie) were born during this time.

Her father had a dairy and delivered products to customers in South Denver. This was Martha's last move until she married John zoetewey. Her playground included dirt roads, grazing prairie and cool springs under the bridge on Colorado Blvd. A cloud burst later washed out this bridge, but the home was spared.

She attended Denver Christian Grade School sometimes walking to and from school. There were not many houses along the way; she cut through Washington Park. She graduated in 1930 (red A's, no less). She also attended South High School.

The family attended First Christian Reformed Church. Martha was a lifelong member of the church. Horses and buggies were used for the Sunday commute and they were kept in a shed on back of the church grounds.

In about April of 1936, John zoetewey brought Mrs. Byleveld over to visit with Martha's mother who was sick. It was raining hard and John parked his Model T Ford in the back yard. Martha mixed up some bon Ami paste (the only window cleaner they had) and smeared it all over the car windows (inside and out). It was still raining when it was time for them to leave. John could not see out of the windows. The windshield wipers did not help either, so he left for home driving with his head out of the window. He arrived hoe safely. Martha really laughed watching him from the window.

A couple of weeks later John drove in the yard (still wearing his red sweater) and asked Martha to go with him to a Sunday school teacher picnic. She did and you know the rest of the story. They were married on April 11, 1937 in First Church during the evening service. She had the largest and prettiest bouquet ever seen. Their first home was 2071 South humboldt where the bed bugs were plentiful.

The family made several moves, finally settling at 1847 South Emerson. After 51 years John and Martha moved to the Christian Living Center. They were blessed with three children, Bob, Carolyn and Henry, spouses Pat, Warren and Miriam. She currently has five grandchildren, Randy, Lynne, Jessica, Kimberly and Gave and one great grandchild, Reid.

Martha spent her life serving First Church and Denver Christian Schools in many capacities. She has known all of the pastors of the church since Dominee Van Dellen to the present day. Some of her roles for the church were photographer when no one else took pictures, bulletin clerk for 50 years, church directory for 45 years and clerk for the Calendar of Events, Serviceman's secretary in World War II, president for many years of the Ladies Aid and kitchen committee. The first church supper served old-fashioned pea soup and over 200 people attended. For the school she joined the auxiliary and was chairperson of the "Humming Birds" which was the group that did a lot of sewing and crocheting to raise money for the school.

A favorite person hobby was bird watching. Many friends joined her in this hobby. Some of her grandchildren started viewing birds when they were only one or two weeks old.

Through her life Martha has felt that the Lord has blessed her and her family.

Visitation Bullock Colonial Chapel Sunday, April 19th from 2-4 p.m.. Memorial service First Christian Reformed Church Monday, April 21st at 11:00 a.m.. Private family interment Crown Hill Cemetery.