Pella’s Tulip Queens & Courts 1960-69
Queen Lois DeKock DeJong (1960)
Court Members
Mary Boat Steenhoek, Beverly Boatsma, Linda Tysseling VanDoornick, Karen Wesselink TeRonde
Flower Girls
Judy Boetje, Christy De Jong
Royal Pages
Kathy Power, Jan Emmert
Memories from Queen Lois:
I was 17 when I was chosen to be Pella’s Tulip Queen. The people of Pella nominated 26 girls that appeared before a panel of 20 judges where they were evaluated. The five young ladies receiving the highest scores were pictured to the public in The Pella Chronicle. Residents of Pella would then vote for one at a voting booth at Marion County State Bank. An public announcement gala was held at Pella Community High School where all nominees were presented after which the queen was presented by Burgemeester T.G. Fultz and her court was introduced. A reception and annual queen’s ball followed at the Legion Hall. My court members were Mary Boot, Beverly Boatsma, Linda Tysseling, and Karin Wesselink. Flower Girls were Judy Boetje and Christy De Jong (who is now my sister-in-law). And Pages were Kathy Power and Jan Emmert.
Most traveling was done by car with either 1959 Queen Sandra Sels Kruse or my court and were intended to promote Tulip Time through either radio or television appearances with interviews in large Iowa cities in addition to Omaha, Nebraska and Minneapolis, Minnesota. One very interesting person whom I met was Mr. Ray De Haan who chauffeured me and others to promotional events. I also enjoyed the contacts with the Highway Patrolman Ray Laar and Bob Fouster who drove me around with lights flashing and sirens blasting to the float and escorted me onto the float.
My costume for the 1960 festival was made by my sister, Lavonne (De Kock) De Ruiter. A black velvet cap and long-sleeved blouse were trimmed with white lace and gold buttons; the floor-length shirt was turquoise and black taffeta. On the opening day of Tulip Time, the coronation occurred on a stage on the west side of Central Park. After 1959 Queen Sandra Sels Kruse relinquished her crown and robe, Burgemeester T.G. Fultz placed them on me, and explained my duties to the public. Sandra then transferred the queens’ cup to me. The parades were very typical of Pella’s Tulip Time over the years with Dutch dancers, street scrubbers, school children parading, twirlers, flags, vender cards, floats, and bands. I rode a float with my court, the pages, and flower girls. Afterward, we could watch the remainder of the parade from a viewing stand in Central Park. All three days the weather was beautiful!!
Two occasions stand out as unusual. 1. According to tradition, I hosted a dinner for my court and Queen Sandra. When they came to my parents’ farm home for this event, rain had fallen for several days. Mud was everywhere causing their car to get stuck in the driveway and requiring my father to pull them free with his tractor. 2. When I returned to Pella in the spring of 1961 for the announcement party, I took along my three Calvin College roommates and their boyfriends. All of us stayed at my parents’ home. On our return trip to Grand Rapids, we encountered blizzard conditions which caused highways to close to the extent that the patrolman would not permit us to travel out of the town. That forced all of us to stay in two crowed motel rooms with very little money in hand.
Queen Glenda Steenhoek Duven (1961)
Court Members
Kay Kuyper DeCook, Kathy Gosselink Vandenberg, Kay McDonald Bandstra, Karen Wesselink TeRonde
Flower Girls
Cheryl Menninga Burney, Carole Hoeksema
Royal Pages
Barb Vermeer, Debbie Vermeer
Memories from Queen Glenda:
I was 17 when I was chosen to be Pella’s Tulip Queen. There was a card table set up near Marion County State Bank, and residents could stop and nominate a girl to the court simply by writing her name on a piece of paper. The twelve girls with the most nominations appeared at the Legion Hall in front of judges. The judges voted that night on the top 5 girls. After that, there was an announcement party where they announced the queen. After the announcement, there was a public reception and dance at the Legion Hall.
My court members were Kay Kuyper De Cook, Karen Wesselink Te Ronde, Kay McDonald Bandstra, and Kathy Gosselink Vanden Berg. Flower girls were Cheryl Menninga Burney (my niece) and Carole Hoeksema (my second cousin). Pages were Barb and Debbie Vermeer.
Although we did not have an official program, we promoted the festival at the capitol in Des Moines, and to the television stations in Cedar Rapids, Mason City, and Ottumwa. We would bring cookies wherever we went. We wore our own Dutch costumes when we traveled, but for the Queen’s costume during the coronation and parades, I had a white bridal gown and the court wore pastel formals.
There was a stage on the west side of the square facing City Hall, and the queen’s acceptance speech was the same one given year after year. The parade went in the opposite direction from what it does today. We rode a float in the parade. Dr. T.G. Fultz was the burgemeister for the parade. Each member of the court had a State Highway Patrolman assigned to us. Bob Foster would pick me up to take me downtown, and after the parades, we all had coffeetime together.
I share this experience with other relatives Roger Duven, was a page in 1956. My daughter, Leah, was a flower girl in 1977 and a page in 1984. My daughter Kim was a page in 1980 and on the court in 1986.
Queen Kathy Gosselink Vandenberg (1962)
Court Members
Sharon Breen, Judy DeJong, Pam Gaass, Elaine Schakel Stafford
Queen Mary VerMeer Borg (1963)
Court Members
Charlene Klyn, Pamela Klein Wheeler, Beverly DeCook Brand, Mary Wing
Flower Girls
LuAnn Vermeer DeHaan, Carol Hoeksma
Royal Pages
Barb Vermeer, Brenda Bergman
Queen Beverly DeCook Brand (1964)
Court Members
Barbara Duven , Pamela Klein Wheeler, Twyla VanSteenis, Pamela Wilson
Flower Girls
Karla De Cook, Juli Pohlmann Roseburrough
Memories from Queen Beverly:
Young ladies were nominated by the community and appeared before a panel of 25 judges where we presented a speech and were interviewed. The judges voted and the final 5 were announced that evening. The Queen was announced at the Queen’s Announcement Event was held a week or two later. My court members were Twyla Van Steenis, Pam Wilson, Pam Klein, and Barb Duven. Flower Girls were Karla De Cook (my sister) and Julie Pullman.
The court and I traveled central Iowa to promote Tulip Time – including tv and radio appearances, a visit to the Governor and Legislator, many groups like the Rotary, Kiwanas, etc. We did not have a “set” presentation but the Queen always gave a short invitation to attend Tulip Time, sometimes the court also talked and sometimes we sang a song or two. Ray De Haan was our chaperone. We wore costumes made by a committee – but they were used several years in a row. Mine was worn by the previous two Queens and by several queens after that.
The most interesting place I promoted Tulip Time was to fly to Los Angeles and appear on the Tonight Show. I got to spend three days in LA, go to the taping of the Tonight Show and appear on the second taping. I presented Steve Allen (then host of the Tonight Show) with Dutch Letters, a huge ring of Pella bologna and a pair of wooden shoes. I taught him a short Dutch Dance and invited him to the festival. I remember the Tonight Show sent a limousine to pick up me and my mother at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in downtown Hollywood.
Official duties at Tulip Time included picking our fresh Tulip bouquets the night before, the pre-parade grandstand activities, the parade, greeting dignitaries and attending the evening activities and parade, interviews on the radio and attending the Queen’s luncheon. We were provided with a highway patrolman who picked us up each day at our homes and escorted us during the festival. We watched the parade from patrol cars that parked near the stage area after our parade route ended.
The coronation was on the Tulip Stage the first day of Tulip Time. The stage was then
located on the west side of the square along with the main bleachers and viewing areas.
The parade at that time, went the opposite direction around the square. The Queen and court always had the biggest and most elaborate float and it changed from year to year.
The weather was good except for Friday, when the evening parade was cancelled due to very high wind, where the back of the stage blew over! My huge bonnet hat also got ruined in the wind in the afternoon so for the Saturday parades I got to wear my crown.
I was a flower girl for Queen Carol VerSteeg in 1950 when I was in kindergarten, I was an attendant to Queen Mary Vermeer in 1963 and both of my sisters (Judy De Cook and Karla De Cook) were also Tulip Queens!
Queen Elaine Schakel Stafford (1965)
Court Members
Lois DeJong, Judy DeCook Steenhoek, Lynn VanTuyl, Pamela Wilson
Queen Mary Farver Griffith (1966)
Court Members
Eunice Roorda, Judy DeCook Steenhoek, Judy Grandia Marvel, Carol VanderPloeg
Queen Judy Grandia Marvel (1967)
Court Members
Barbara Kuiper Braafhart, Susan Snyder, Karen Tucker DeHaan, Karin VanZante
Rev. Judith Grandia Marvel died peacefully on March 27, 2022.
Queen Judy DeCook Steenhoek (1968)
Court Members
Barbara Mickmershuizen, Andrea VerMeer Balmer, MaryAnn Vermeer Andgringa, Nancy Paris
Queen Andrea VerMeer Balmer (1969)
Court Members
Ann Dahm, Janice Grandia, Carol Hedrick, Mary VerPloeg
Flower Girls
Ann Vermeer, Jill Hoeksma
Royal Pages
Cassie (Van Zee) Swierenga, Mary Jo Vander Ploeg
Memories from Queen Andrea:
I was 18 when I was chosen to be Pella’s Tulip Queen. We were chosen by community ballots first, and then the top 12 finalists were interviewed/judged. The court and queen were selected from those by a panel of local judges. My court members were Ann Dahm Buckheister, Carol Hedrick, Janice Grandia Vander Leest, and Mary Ver Ploeg Vander Wilt. Flower Girls were Ann Ver Meer Oglesby (my sister, and also on 1982 court) and Jill Hoeksma Neil. Pages were Emily Vander Ploeg.
My traveling costume was made by my mother and it represented the providence of Utrecht. My parade costume was made by the Tulip Time Committee and it represented a village in Freisland. We traveled around midwest Iowa to radio and TV stations, the State House, and other locations to do our presentation about Pella and our traditions. We sang Dutch songs at most of our visit locations. The most interesting places we visited were the Iowa Sports and Vacation Center in Des Moines, and the Iowa State House, where we met Governor Ray & his staff.
I was crowned on the first afternoon of Tulip Time by the Burgemeister, Dr. T.J. Fultz. My official duties were to welcome the visiting guests at the Tulip Toren before each parade, and then during the parade, my court and I rode together on our float that had the replica of the Tulip Toren on it. We didn’t have the greatest weather one of the parades and our driver took off so fast during this hail storm. I had to try and hold on to my giant hat as he raced through the parade. There were so many town bands that came and marched and performed in the parades.
Every day an Iowa Highway Patrolman picked each member of the court and myself, with my sister Ann (flower girl) up at our homes and escorted us to the parade. One time the highway patrolman was driving us back home and I asked him “How fast can you stop someone?” Just like that he flipped his lights on and was out of the car stopping someone with a headlight out. He gave the guy a warning and came back to his vehicle. When he got in he looked at me and said “Was that fast enough?” I’ll never forget it.
At that time the Tulip Queen and court got to go and pick our own tulips to carry for Tulip Time. We were at West Market Park when someone must have thought we were stealing the tulips and called the police. They arrived only to find it was the Queen and her court carefully and legally picking our fresh tulips to carry.
I share this experience with my sister Mary Ver Meer Borg was Queen in 1963. My aunt, Dorothy Ver Meer Qualls, was on the court, my aunt, Virginia Ver Meer Kempkes, was on the court as well.
Pella Tulip Queens 