Engbers, Arie, Jr. 1929-2006

ENGBERS, BENSINK, JANSEN

Posted By: volunteer (email)
Date: 12/1/2006 at 19:50:15

Arie Engbers, Jr. was born on November 27, 1929, near Pella, Iowa. He was the fourth of five sons that were born to the late Arie and Gertrude Bensink Engbers.

Junior, as he was known, began his elementary education in the Pella Public Schools and completed the 8th grade in Tracy, Iowa. As a young lad he began working as a farmhand and later for an implement dealer in Pella. Junior was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1951 during the Korean War.

Following his discharge he was united in marriage with Zelda Louise Jansen, a daughter of the late William D. and Pauline (Baarda) Jansen, on July 29, 1953. To this union five children were born: Bryce , Bruce, Jolene, Jaci and Bradley. Junior joined his brother, John, in the construction business in 1953 and continued in this business until becoming manager of the Sully Cooperative Lumber Yard at Sully, Iowa in 1962. Junior and Zelda then moved to Sully where he continued as the manager until he retired in 1992. Following his retirement he remained very active.

On Tuesday morning, October 17, 2006, he succumbed to a fatal heart attack while physically exercising at the Fitness Center in Sully. He passed away on arrival at the Pella Regional Health Center in Pella, Iowa at the age of 76 years, 10 months and 20 days.

Those who will cherish his memory are his wife, Zelda, their five children and their spouses and 15 grandchildren. They and their families are: Bryce and Kathy (De Prenger) Engbers of Grinnell, Iowa; Bruce and Sue (Meredith) Engbers of Sully, Iowa; Jolene Broek of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Jaci and Terry Schaap of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Brad and Renee (Houk) Engbers of Palos Heights, Illinois. Of his original family Junior leaves his oldest brother, John Engbers and his wife, Viola of Rock Valley, Iowa; his youngest brother, Ernest Engbers and his wife, Geneva of Phoenix, Arizona; his sister-in-law, Marie (Marvin Engbers) and her husband, Harold Van Maanen of Pella; and the following brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Ronald and Verla Jansen, Delores (Jansen) and Ronald McKeag all of Sully and Marcia (Lowell) Jansen of Kellogg, Iowa.

Junior was preceded in death by a stillborn granddaughter, Amy Jo Broek; his parents, Arie and Gertrude Engbers; a stillborn brother, John, and his brother, Marvin Engbers; his parents-in-law, Wm.and Pauline Jansen; and a brother-in-law, Lowell Jansen.

Junior spent his life serving others. He was involved with several organizations serving on the boards of the Sully Christian Grade School, Pella Christian High School and Dordt College. During his tenure on the Sully Christian School Board he was instrumental in the creation and development of the Christian Opportunity Center in Pella.

Junior's leadership and involvement in the church began early in his marriage. He was a Young People's leader at the Sully Christian Reformed Church, and he continued to be involved throughout his life serving several terms as an elder, catechism teacher, and participant in numerous Bible study groups. Although his formal education was limited to 8 years, he loved to study and discuss the Word of God with people of all ages. He was especially inspired in the past year by the passion and leadership of a few young men in the Sully congregation who were leading a men's Bible study.

After retiring in 1992, Junior reached out in service to organizations such as the Toy Ministry and CRWRC where he used his woodworking skills. He made everything from the smallest toys for underprivileged kids to homes for those devastated by disaster. Over the past several years Junior and Zelda would typically schedule at least two trips to different parts of the country to volunteer with CRWRC. They not only enjoyed the opportunity to work, but they also enjoyed getting to know other people from across the country and Canada.

Most recently Junior and Zelda joined The Gideon organization which gave Junior the opportunity to lead a Bible study with the inmates at the Jasper County Jail. He looked forward to continuing with this ministry opportunity in the future.

Although Junior's activities frequently took him away from home, his family was always his first priority and was of the utmost importance in his life. He loved watching his children and grandchildren participate in sports, music, and drama, and he still followed PCHS activities.

Because of the variety of Junior's activities, many special relationships were formed. Special employees and young people who showed deep spiritual insight caused his eyes to sparkle they talked about the bond they shared. Junior's example of building relationships with a wide spectrum of people influence his children and grandchildren in their lives today.

The Pella Chronicle, November 10, 2006