Menninga, Ethel Van Engelenhoven – 1901-1997

BRAAFHART, DEN ADEL, DYKSTRA, KLAPWYK, KUIPER, MENNINGA, MONSTER, TOL, VAN DUSSELDORP, VAN ENGELENHOVEN, VAN HOUWELING, VROOM

Posted By: Donna Sloan Rempp (email)
Date: 8/7/2016 at 14:59:20

Services Held
Services for Ethel Menninga of Pella were held Tuesday, January 7, 1997, at the First Reformed Church in Pella. Rev. J. Mark Beach officiated the services and interment was in Graceland Cemetery in Pella. She passed away January 3, 1997, in the Pella Community Hospital at the age of 95.
The second of ten children that were born to Barend (Benjamin) and Tryntje (Kate) Tol Van Engelenhoven, Ethel was born on October 31, 1901 at Tracy, Iowa.
Ethel began her country school education at the Valley View Country Grade School near Otley, Iowa, where all of her children eventually attended. Ethel made profession of her faith at the Bethel Reformed Church near Otley. On February 22, 1922, she was united in marriage with Gysbert Menninga at her parent’s farm home near Otley. To this union eleven children were born: Sethrith, Kathyryn May, Elizabeth Pearl, Bernard, Clarence, Alvin, Gysbert Lee, Arlene Ann, Arlan Dale, Larry Dean and Phyllis Jean. Following their marriage, Ethel and Gysbert moved to a farm northeast of Otley, where they lived and farmed until they retired and moved into Pella in 1963. Ethel was a devoted and dedicated homemaker all these years. After moving into Pella, Gysbert passed away June 29, 1989. Following his sudden death, Ethel remained in their home until becoming a patient at the Pella Community Nursing Home in October of 1990.
Surviving are Sethrith and Jean Menninga of Pella and children; Kathryn Braafhart of Pella and children; Elizabeth Van Dusseldorp of Pella and children; Bernard and Grace Menninga of Conifer, Colorado and children; Clarence and Irene Menninga of Grand Rapids, Michigan and children; Alvin and Leanne Menninga of Platteville, Wisconsin and children; Gysbert and Sylvia Menninga of Oak Park, Illinois and children; Arlan and Johanna Menninga of Matteson, Illinois and children; Larry and Mary Menninga of Bellingham, Washington and children; Phyllis and Reinier Klapwyk of Mt. Vernon, Washington and children.
Ethel’s family has continued to grow to include 88 great-grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren. Of her original family, she leaves two brothers and four sisters: Rev. Evert Van Engelenhoven and his wife, Clara of Orange City, Iowa; John B. Van Engelenhoven, of Pella, Iowa; Cora Van Houweling of Des Moines; Bess Kuiper and Katie Vroom both of Pella; and a brother-in-law, William Den Adel also of Pella.
Ethel was preceded in death by her husband, Gysbert; an infant daughter, Arlene; two sons-in-law: Nick Braafhart and Gerald Van Dusseldorp; two infant grandchildren; one great-grandchild, Caleb Braafhart; her parents; a brother, Arie; and three sisters: Johanna Den Adel, Elva Monster and Jennie Dykstra.
Ethel was a member of the Otley Christian Reformed Church in Otley until she transferred her membership to the First Christian Reformed Church in Pella. She had been an active member of the Sr. Helping Hand Society there; and had been an active member of the Christian Opportunity Center Auxiliary and the Pella Christian High School Auxiliary in Pella.
Source: Monroe Legacy; 16 January 1997