ELENBAAS, John H. 1925-2014

ELENBAAS

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 9/6/2021 at 12:11:51

John Hanover Elenbaas, age 89, of Helena, passed away Tuesday, February 18, 2014. John was born in Lynden, Washington on February 9, 1925 to Herman and Ruby Elenbaas.

John was drafted into the Army, serving from 1943 to 1946 in the Radio Intelligence Platoon and participating in the Pacific Theater, including Okinawa and occupation forces in Seoul, Korea and Kyoto, Japan.

John met Maybelle Elenbaas at Calvin College, in Grand Rapids Michigan, while they were both in the Back to God Hour Choir. They were married on June 3, 1949.

John graduated from Calvin College and Seminary in 1952 and was the pastor of the Christian Reformed Churches in Holland Center, South Dakota from 1952 to 1955, Mountain Lake, Minnesota from 1955 to 1960, Doon, Iowa from 1960 to 1966, Wellsburg, Iowa 1966 to 1983, Conrad, Montana from 1983 to 1987, and finally retiring in Bozeman, Montana in 1987. This was not the end of his ministry; he continued to preach at several Bozeman and Manhattan area churches on a substitute basis, including interim pastor for Gallatin Gateway CRC. After moving to Hunter’s Pointe in Helena in 2006, he conducted Bible studies, filled in for Sunday afternoon preaching and would visit the sick and grieving. Additionally, for many years, he was an instructor for Crossroad Bible institute, a one-to-one long-term program helping incarcerated persons grow in a life-transforming relationship with Jesus Christ.

Outside of the church, John’s favorite past times included hiking and mountain climbing, especially the mountains of Northwest Washington, Glacier National Park and areas around Bozeman, Montana. He also spent a lot of time gardening, singing and tinkering around.

John is preceded in death by his parents, Herman and Ruby Elenbaas; brother, John James; sister Marian Scholten (Bill).

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Maybelle Elenbaas; daughters, Irene (David) DeGroot of Tucson, Arizona, Kathryn (Evan) Baas of Corsica, South Dakota; sons Herman (Sheila) Elenbaas of Billings, Montana, David (Twila) Elenbaas of Montana City, Montana, and Daniel (Joanne) Elenbaas of Helena, Montana; sister, Winifred Bulthuis of Lynden, Washington; 19 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren.

The family will receive friends beginning at 10:15 a.m. Saturday, February 22, 2014. Funeral services will begin at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 22, 2014 at the Green Meadow Christian Reformed Church, 4790 Green Meadow Drive Helena, Montana 59602. A burial rite with military honors will follow at the Montana State Veterans Cemetery at Ft. Harrison, Montana, a reception will be held at the church immediately following the burial rite. Memorials in John’s name are suggested to Crossroad Bible Institute, PO Box 900, Grand Rapids, MI 49509-0900 or Mission India, PO Box 141312 Grand Rapids, MI 49514-1312.

--Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home (www.helenafuneralhome.com)

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