Mavis (Saunders) Japenga (1918-2003)

SAUNDERS, MAST, JAPENGA

Posted By: jane austin (email)
Date: 6/23/2016 at 17:46:16

Services held for Mavis Japenga

Funeral services for Mavis Japenga were held at 1:30 p.m. Monday, January 6, 2003, at the First Reformed Church at Sanborn, Iowa, with Rev. Dr. Gary Hegstad officiating. Special music by Bosch-Van Engen Quartet singing, "In the Garden" and "Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me". Organist was Beth Vanden Hoek. Casket Bearers were Aaron Groendyke, Brian Dacken, Jason Groendyke, Stacey Hernandez, Jennifer Dacken, Mickey Hernandez, Alan Japenga and Marvin Jacobsma. Interment was at Pleasant Hill Cemetery at Primghar, Iowa, under the direction of Sanborn Funeral Home Service of Sanborn.

OBITUARY

Mavis F. (Saunders) Japenga, the daughter of Jack and Clara (Mast) Saunders was born at Primghar, Iowa on September 19, 1918. She lived her youth and received her education at Primghar, graduating from the Primghar High School. Mavis continued her education in Storm Lake and was also a graduate of Buena Vista College. Following her college graduation, she taught in area country schools and also at the Everly Schools.

Mavis was united in marriage to Jake Japenga on August 9, 1949, at the Little Brown Church at Nashua, Iowa. Following their marriage, they farmed in the Worthington, MN area for several years prior to moving to Hartley where they resided for ap­proximately 40 years.

In 1992, Jake and Mavis moved to Dickens, IA. He died on January 15, 1999.

Mavis became a resident of the Longhouse Nursing Home in Spencer, IA in October 2002 and lived there until entering the Ruthven Community Care Center in November 2002.

She died at the Spencer Municipal Hospital at Spencer, IA on January 3, 2003.

She is survived by her children: Judy and Keith Groendyke of San­born and Dennis and Brenda Japenga of Dickens; five grandchildren, two great grandchildren, one sister Mrs. Howard (Melva) Ver Hoef of Sanborn, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and one brother, Wilbur Saunders.

Special interests of Mavis' included refinishing furniture and cooking. Mavis will be remembered as a person who overcame much physical adversity during her lifetime and exercised a great deal of patience and perseverance. She took great pride in her grandchildren and cherished the times she could spend with them.

Paullina (Iowa) Times, Jan 9, 2003, p A3