Tanis, Marjorie – 1927-2010

DEWITT, ERICKSON, FRANKEN, GREVING, HEYENGA, PETERS, STICKROD, TANIS, WELP

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 7/21/2010 at 12:49:08

Marjorie M. (Greving) Tanis, 83, of Pella died Wednesday morning, July 7, 2010, in St. Peter, Minn.
A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 10, at the Second Reformed Church in Pella with visitation from 9 a.m. until the time of service. Interment will follow in the Oakwood Cemetery in Pella.
Source: Newton Daily News; Thursday, July 8, 2010

Additional information from Van Dyk-Duven Funeral Home website:
Marjorie Mae Greving was born in rural Phillips County, Kansas near Prairie View on March 9, 1927. She was the second oldest child born to Garried and Josie Erickson Greving. Marjorie attended Rock Island Rural School and graduated from Prairie View High School on May 16, 1944. She attended Fort Hays Kansas State College in Kansas for one year, received a 3 year teaching certificate and taught elementary grade school children in Norton, Kansas three years.
In the fall of 1948, she enrolled in Central College at Pella, Iowa, where she met Paul Hudson Tanis, Sr. Paul’s college career which began at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, was interrupted during World War II when he was inducted into the U.S. Army. Following his discharge, he enrolled in Central College at Pella and on August 1, 1950, Marjorie and Paul were united in marriage in the Reformed Church of Prairie View, Kansas. To this union four children were born: Cheryl Lynn, Shirley Ann, Paul Hudson Jr. and James Edwin.
Responding to God’s call to active ministry, Paul enrolled in Western Theological Seminary at Holland, Michigan. During this time Marjorie taught in the Holland Christian Grade School. In May of 1953, Paul received his divinity degree. Marjorie and Paul were commissioned as missionaries of the Reformed Church of America and their first charge was in Japan. They served as missionaries in Japan for five years. While on a speaking tour during their furlough, Paul became interested in church extension and was called to be the founding pastor of the Church of the Savior Reformed Church in Rochester, Minnesota in 1959. Marjorie and Paul went on to serve churches in Rochester, Minnesota where he was a Chaplain at Mayo Clinic Affiliate Hospitals, Oak Harbor, Washington, Stout, Iowa (near Cedar Falls, establishing the Way Station neighborhood youth ministry), and Sheldon, Iowa. During this time Marjorie taught elementary school children in Oak Harbor, Washington, Dike, Iowa and Sheldon, Iowa. It was while they were serving in Sheldon that Paul suffered a severe stroke in February of 1983. Marjorie and Rev. Tanis retired in 1989 at which time they moved to Pella, Iowa. Marjorie complimented Paul in his ministry and faithfully assisted him with his physical disability for 16 years until he passed away on December 13, 1998 at the age of 71 years. Several years prior to his death Paul established a scholarship for Western Theological seminarians. Paul and Marjorie were committed to helping other seminarians become pastors and saw this scholarship as a living.
Marjorie was taken home to be with the Lord on Wednesday morning, July 7, 2010, in St. Peter, Minnesota at the age of 83 years. Of utmost importance to Marjorie was her family. She was keenly interested in their education, accomplishments and family life. They are her four children and their spouses and nine grandchildren: Cheryl L. Tanis of Eldora, Iowa and her daughters, Chelsea Welp of Burnsville, Minnesota and Lexsea Stickrod and her husband, Jeff Stickrod of Wichita, Kansas; Shirley A. and her husband, Daryl Heyenga and their children, Bailey and Jordan of Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Paul H. Tanis, Jr. and his wife, Maureen and sons, Peter, Patrick and Philip of St.. Peter, Minnesota; James E. Tanis and his wife, Carol and children, Alysa and Jacob of Peachtree City, Georgia. Of her original family Marjorie leaves a sister and two brothers and their spouses: Ila and Dick DeWitt of Prairie View, Kansas, Wayne and Delores Greving of Pella, Iowa, Leland and Shirley Greving of Central City, Nebraska; and the following sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Marilyn (Tanis) and Rev. Darrell Franken, Dr. Elliot and Elaine Tanis of Holland, Michigan, Wayne and Mary Jane Tanis of Hamilton, Michigan.
Marjorie was preceded in death by her husband, Rev. Paul H. Tanis, Sr.; her parents, Garried and Josie Greving; and her parents-in-law, Rev. Edward E. and Agnes Peters Tanis. Marjorie loved to sew and knit and was a member of the Second Reformed Church in Pella, Iowa. memorial extending their mission work and love of Christ.
For those desiring, memorials may be given for the Paul H. Tanis, Sr. Scholarship Fund at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, MI. or Hospice of Pella, IA.
Visitation: Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. until service time on Saturday . July 10, 2010 at Second Reformed Church, Pella, Iowa.
Funeral Service: Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, July 10, 2010, at 11:00 a.m. July 10, 2010 at Second Reformed Church.
Interment: Oakwood Cemetery, Pella, Iowa