Joseph Sietstra

Joseph Earl Sietstra was born at the USA Air Force Hospital in the Panama Canal Zone on January 18, 1980. His father was in the Air Force and his birth mother was a citizen of Panama. At six months of age Joe was taken to the Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Eventually Joe was adopted by Connie Kroeger of Houston, Texas at the age of 4. Later at the age of 8 and a half, June 4, 1988, Joe was adopted by John H. and Linda Sietstra and joined their other 5 adopted children on an acreage in NW Iowa where he had the time of his life playing with three brothers close in age, Jeremy 7, Andy 9, and John Carl 12. Sarah was 11, and Angela was 10. Joe’s adoption was finalized 12-88, and he became a naturalized citizen of the USA, March, 1990.

June, 1992, the family moved to Ozark, Missouri, and Joe and Andy played junior high and high school football and wrestled. The whole family was baptized at Ozark Assembly of God, March 7, 1993. The Reformed Church in Iowa had infant baptism. Joe had been dedicated there.

November 9, 2001, Joe married Tara Nicole Cook, his high school sweetheart, and their only child, Aidan Gunner, was born July 4, 2004. Joe got his CDL and made his living as a truck driver. He was diagnosed with Acute Leukemia in a local emergency room August 3, 2012, and was near death several times before he went to Heaven peacefully at Barnes-Jewish Hospital , St. Louis, Missouri, July 10, 2014.

Joe is survived by his wife Tara and 10 year old son Aidan of Springfield, his parents John H. and Linda of Springfield, his brother Jeremy (Beth-Amy) Sietstra of Springfield, his brother SSG Andrew Sietstra of Ft. Bragg, NC, his brother SFC John Carl (Lisa) Sietstra of Ft. Hood, TX, his sister Sarah (Seth) Harold of Lee’s Summit, MO, and his sister Angela Spivey of Las Vegas, NV. He is also survived by 4 nephews and a niece.

A Memorial Service will be held Monday, July 14, 2014 at 10:00 A.M at the Battlefield Assembly of God Church in Battlefield, MO., with Rev. Richard Orrell officiating. A Visitation will be held from 9:00 until service time Monday at the church.