Eugene Te Grotenhuis

Monday, February 27, 2012

Eugene Te Grotenhuis, age 89, of Orange City, Iowa, went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012, at the Orange City Area Health System Hospital.

There will be a memorial service at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 29 at the First Reformed Church in Orange City. Revs. Mark Haverdink and Timothy Breen will officiate.

Interment will be prior to the service at the West Lawn Cemetery in Orange City. There will be a prayer service at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.

Visitation will be after 4 p.m. Tuesday, with the family present from 5-7 p.m. at the funeral home.

"Gene" was born in Orange City on March 22, 1922, to Gerrit and Rena (Bonnema) Te Grotenhuis.

He was raised on the family farm west of Orange City and attended the Orange City Public School.

He served during World War II with the U.S. Army 149th Engineers from February 1943 through December 1945. He landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day II.

Gene was united in marriage to Leola Van Wyk on Jan. 8, 1946 at the First Reformed Church in Orange City. They recently celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary.

They made their home north of Orange City, where they farmed. In 1973, they moved into town, where he worked as a custodian and drove bus for the Maurice-Orange City Schools.

Gene was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He loved to tell stories and talk about the weather. Some jokes his grandchildren and great-grandchildren told brought tears rolling down his cheeks.

He had a servant's heart. Gene and Leola opened their home several times to foster children, both on the farm and at their home on Kansas Avenue.

He was a faithful member of the First Reformed Church, where he served as an elder, and he cherished the family of believers he had there. He also belonged to the Pressman-Kosters American Legion Post in Orange City.

For the last two years, Gene and Leola have enjoyed living in the Pioneer Memorial Home in Orange City. They were so thankful to God for their many years together. He left his family with a legacy of faith and love, which has lasted through good and difficult times.

Gene is survived by his wife Leola, four children and their spouses, Gary and Linda Te Grotenhuis of Orange City; Dan and Allyson Te Grotenhuis of Greencastle, Jane and David Van Gorp of Iowa Falls and Doug and Peggy Te Grotenhuis, of Orange City; 13 grandchildren: Jeff Te Grotenhuis, Kris (Jason) Olson, and Todd (Diane) Te Grotenhuis; Joshua Te Grotenhuis and Abby (Matt) Chatelain; Joseph Van Gorp, Paul (Kyla) Van Gorp, Stephen Van Gorp, Rebekah Van Gorp, and Gabrielle Van Gorp; and Jennifer Te Grotenhuis, Sarah Te Grotenhuis, and Aaron Te Grotenhuis; and nine great-grandchildren.

Gene was preceded in death by his parents and his three brothers and their wives, Arthur and Kate Te Grotenhuis, Russell and Dorothy Te Grotenhuis, and Milo and Gert Te Grotenhuis.

Memorials may be directed to the First Reformed Church Cornerstone Fund for children and youth ministries.

Expressions of sympathy can be left at www.oolman.com.