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Cornelies “Cornie” Poelstra, 87

| June 25, 2009 9:00 PM

Cornelies “Cornie” Poelstra, 87, passed away in Sandpoint on Monday, June 22, 2009.

Funeral services will be held 1 p.m. Friday, June 26, in Coffelt’s Funeral Chapel in Sandpoint. Glen Marks will officiate, and interment will follow in Pinecrest Memorial Park. 

Calling hours for family and friends will be noon to 6 p.m. today, June 25, at Coffelt Funeral Service.

Cornie was born July 24, 1921, in New Holland, S.D., to Elmer and Lena Poelstra.

He lived in Manhattan, Mont., and worked on a cattle ranch.

On March 15, 1944, Cornie married Frances Mize in Belgrade, Mont. In 1945 he moved to the Selle area and purchased the Charles Selle Homestead.

Cornie established a Grade A dairy farm, retiring from Poelstra and Sons Dairy in 2002.  He established and operated Cornies Feed, selling Purina Products from 1966 until 1986.

Cornie was well known for water witching wells in North Idaho.

He was a member of the Sandpoint Gun Club and Sandpoint bowling leagues. Cornie was a 4-H leader and a poultry judge at county fairs in North Idaho.

He enjoyed hunting and fishing and was a faithful Seattle Mariners baseball fan.

Cornie’s wife died in 1988.

He married Edith Frazier on July 20, 1989, in Coeur d’Alene.

Cornie is survived by his wife in Sandpoint; children Randy (Carla) Poelstra and Norma McKitrick, all Sandpoint, Tony (Tamara) Poelstra and Marie Johnson, all in Coeur d’Alene, Diana Johnson in Brier, Wash., Patricia (Terry) Eller in Spokane, Wash., and Carol McCoy in Bonners Ferry; brothers Renald and Arie Poelstra, both in Sandpoint; sisters Toni Tiffany and Ellen Brown, both Sandpoint, and Edna Johnson in Lewiston; stepchildren Vickie Sennett in Seattle, Gayle Vinion in Otis Orchards, Wash., and Julie Davidson in Sandpoint; 19 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was also preceded in death by his parents and a brother John.

Family and friends may sign Cornie’s online guestbook at www.coffeltfuneral.com.

Coffelt Funeral Service handled arrangements.