Josie Sanctis Obituary, Death – Josie Sanctis died in the town of Lynden, Washington. Josie Vander Kooi, a lifelong Lynden resident, was the second of four children born on December 30 to Ray and Dena (Heeringa) Vander Kooi. On October 10, 1946, she married Bill Van Sanctis in Lynden after meeting him through his sister, Alice, a high school friend of hers. Josie grew up on Front Street, roller skating around the city and observing its development (she had especially fond childhood memories of picking strawberries every summer, attending church services spoken in Dutch, and visiting the library every week back when it was on the top floor of the Jansen building). Because sugar was rationed, her first job after high school was with Northwest Chemurgy, where she weighed potatoes before converting them into glucose.
She spent the majority of her adult life as a bookkeeper, including for the family dairy farm and construction company. She was also in charge of accounting for Van Sanctis Trucking, which she and her husband, Bill, founded in 1975 and renamed Ferndale Ready Mix later. She loved spending time with her grandchildren, especially days at the farm or by the river eating wiener roasts. Her family and friends were overjoyed to see her driving around town in her custom-built California Special Mustang, which Bill had built for her. Josie’s personal faith in Christ and devotion to her church family were defining characteristics of her life, which she leaves to her family. She and Bill attended First Reformed Church, where she was a member of the Reformed Church Women’s Ministry and attended the Triennial meeting every three years.
Her parents and husband, as well as her siblings Bertha Kornelis, Ruth Bode, and Lambert Vander Kooi, all died before her. Gary (Nancy) and Larry (Luanne) of Lynden survive her and will miss her; granddaughters Cari (Desi Luna), Wayne (Janet), Jacki (Mike Wilson), Bryce (Joni), Eric (Andrea), Tim Hanson (Renae), Andy Hanson (Tara), Jesse (Amy), Jordan, Callie, and Larissa (Shelby);