SNUTTJER, Grace Jennie (Jansen) 1911-2012
SNUTTJER, JANSEN, HEIDEBRINK, BLOCK, LOMBARD, SCHAA, GOLDHORN, STUBBE, GROEN
Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 11/15/2012 at 02:06:09
Mrs. Grace Snuttjer, age 101, of Orange City, passed away on Wednesday, October 3, 2012, at the Orange City Area Health System Long Term Care Facility in Orange City.
There will be a memorial service on Saturday, October 6, at 2:00pm, at the First Reformed Church in Orange City. The Rev. Timothy Breen will officiate. There will be a graveside service on Saturday, at 10:45am, at the Hope Reformed Cemetery in rural George. There will be a prayer service on Saturday, at 9:45am at the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.
Visitation will be after 4:00pm on Friday, with the family present from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, at the funeral home.
Grace Jennie Snuttjer, nee Jansen, was born on March 12, 1911, to Hiram and Hattie (Heidebrink) Jansen on a farm northwest of George. She attended rural elementary school and graduated from the George High School. She then took a summer extension course from the Cedar Falls Teachers’ College in Le Mars and passed the examination to teach school at the age of 17. She had to wait a year before she was old enough to teach. She taught in rural schools for six years. Some of her students fondly remembered her as a great teacher.
Grace gave her life to Christ under the teaching of the Rev. J. G. Theilken. He was the pastor at the Hope Reformed Church in George, where Frank Snuttjer also attended. Frank and Grace met at church and their love blossomed. Grace encouraged Frank to complete college and seminary as she continued to teach. They married on August 28, 1935, in Lennox, South Dakota, where Frank’s brother Onno was the pastor of the Delaware Reformed Church. Afterwards, they traveled to Holland, Michigan, in their 1929 Model A Ford for the last year of seminary. Grace took a year of bible courses while Frank completed his seminary work.
Their life as pastor and wife began in Lennox. From there they went to Titonka, Little Rock, Otley, and finally, Orange City, where they served reformed churches. Grace was a great support to her husband in his ministry. She pitched in where needed in the church, entertained many in their home, kept a quiet and orderly home, and often discussed issues with her husband about which he was concerned. She had many good insights which her husband appreciated. She was an encourager and always positive. She was the one who planned vacation trips and family outings with Dad’s grudging approval, as he didn’t want to take time off!
Frank passed away on December 30, 1992, in Orange City. On August 13, 2009, she moved to the Landsmeer Ridge Retirement Community in Orange City, and on October 30, 2009, she transferred to the Long Term Care Facility.
Five children were born to this happy couple: Lavina (Vi), Lois, Karen, Mary, and David. They also had two daughters who died in infancy. Grace was frugal and able so she sewed nearly all their clothes, canned a lot of garden and orchard products, baked all the bread and made all the meals. She was fun to work with and made ordinary tasks a joy. She still had time to visit all the members of the congregations they served with her husband and enjoyed the social outings.
Generous, gracious and loving are words to describe Grace. She gave freely of her time and talents. She wrote letters to the children every week, letters that warmed the heart. She welcomed all to their home, delighting in serving and visiting. She seemed to do it with such ease! She made afghans, quilts, counted cross-stitched items, mittens, Raggedy Ann and Andys, and sock monkeys for family members. She had a loving, caring heart and was loved by many.
Those who cherish her memory are her children and their spouses: Lavina (Vi) Block, of Orange City; Lois Lombard, of Ankeny; Mary and Fred Schaa, of George; David and Kathi, of Arlington Heights, Illinois; and a son-in-law, Peter Schakel, of Holland, Michigan; her eleven grandchildren: Joel Block, James Block, Susan Block Giannantonio, Todd Lombard, Kara Lombard, Jonathan Schakel, Jennifer Schakel Hoffman, Kathy Schaa Oberloh, Jodi Schaa Olson, Katie Snuttjer Jumper, and Kristi Snuttjer; sixteen great-grandchildren: Maiya, Hannan, Zachary, and Joshua Block; Jessica and Jake Giannantonia; Jon, Thomas, and Michael Hoffman; Paul Schakel, Nicholas Gorter, Becca Stensland, Alayna Gorter, Brittany, Siebert, and Meredith Waterman, and Levi Jumper.
In addition to her parents, husband, and infant daughters, she was predeceased by a daughter, Karen Schakel; two sons-in-law, Robert Block and Bruce Lombard; a great-grandson, Alex Hoffman; two brothers, Hindrak and Henry Jansen; and four sisters, Minnie Goldhorn, Anna Goldhorn, Ella Stubbe, and Martha Groen.
[Oolman Funeral Home Obituary]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Photo of Grace Snuttjer
(Credit: S. Bell)
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