Pella’s Tulip Queens & Courts 1940-49
Queen Leona Schilder Zylstra (1940)
Court Members
Virginia Kempkes Vermeer, Helen Klyn VandeKieft, Marge Veenman VanZee, Martha VanBerkum Weidemeier
Queen Marge Veenman VanZee (1941)
Court Members
Virginia Kempkes Vermeer, Helen Klyn VandeKieft, Lois VandenBerg, Jeanne VanGorkom Lokerse
Queen Jeanne VanGorkom Lokerse (1942)
Court Members
Ruth Klein Green, Janet VandeKeift, Marcia VerSteeg, Theresa Wormhoudt
Queen Ruth Klein Green (1943)
Court Members
Virginia Carpenter, Carol Cook, Madeline Diekema, Jeanette Lankeima
Queen Martha VanBerkum Weidemeier (1944)
Court Members
Francene DePrenger, Margaret DeWild, Phyllis VanEe, Georgia VanGorkum
1945-1946
Pella’s Tulip Time Festival was not held due to WWII.
Queen Ruth VandeGeest Flietstra (1947)
Court Members
Uella Dingeman Peters, Bernice Heerema VanderPloeg, Bernice Jaarsma, Ruth Vogelaar
Queen Beverly Thomassen Greving (1948)
Court Members
MaryLou Kamerick, Bernice Heerema VanderPloeg, Verla VanderStreek Wade, Ella Jane VanSlittert Jansen
Queen Lorraine DeHaan Porter (1949)
Court Members
Beulah DeHeer, Ruth DenAdel, Mildred Hugen, Elaine VanderPloeg
Flower Girl
Elaine Van Dellen
Memories from Queen Lorraine:
The year 1949 was a very special one for me. I was 17 when I was chosen to be Pella’s Tulip Queen. The townspeople nominated the candidates. Any girl who was a high school senior or college age and lived in the Pella area was eligible. From the nominees twelve were elected for interviews and from that group, five were chosen. The announcement program was held at the Legion Hall. My court members were Beulah De Heer Van Berkum, Millie Hugen Hoeksma, Elaine Vander Ploeg Postema and Ruth Den Adel Fazio. One of the flower girls was Elaine Van Dellen, great great granddaughter of Dominie Scholte.
My Dad, Ray De Haan, was very involved in taking the five of us to Des Moines where we met with the governor, invited him to Tulip Time, and, of course, brought Dutch letters and cookies. TV was still in its infancy but it was quite an experience to be interviewed on the radio.
It was quite a thrill to be picked up each day by a Highway Patrolman and driven to the parade area. The Queen was crowned on the old bandstand at the north end of Central Park by the Burgemeester, Dr. Tom Fultz, and each day, we picked our own tulips for our bouquets! In those days, the Queen and Attendants wore formals. When we did wear Dutch costumes for pictures, we wore our own. Mine was from the Province of Friesland. Our float, which had been specially designed, was shaped like a huge sailing ship with oars. Acting as oarsmen, the attendants were surprised to find that they were seated on nail kegs – they were glad there was only one parade a day!
Governor William Beardsley attended the celebration on Saturday and assisted in the street scrubbing. The Governor commended Pella for its festival and holding fast to the fine traditions and customs. He was given a pair of wooden shoes following his talk. Another memorable event occurred when a visitor to the festival lost the diamond from her ring. She was surprised to find that it had been turned in at the Tulip Time headquarters. Also notable was the presentation of the operetta, The Blue Tulip, staged at West Market Park.
I am especially happy to be able to share this unique experience with my granddaughter, Cassidy Mejia, who was selected to be on the Queen’s Court in 2008.
Pella Tulip Queens 