Vanden Bosch, Tom, 1922-2016

VANDEN BOSCH, LEMS, VANT HUL, GROENEWEG

Posted By: Mary L Verburg Volunteer (email)
Date: 3/13/2017 at 18:50:21

Pastor Tom Vanden Bosch passed away on March 31, 2016 at the age of 93 years, 4 months and 14 days. Funeral services were held on April 9, 2016 at Shalom Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Falls, S.D. Visitation was held on Friday April 8, at Heritage Funeral Home.

Tom was the son of Leonard and Margaret (Lems) Vanden Bosch. He was born on a farm near Rock Valley, IA, on Nov. 15, 1922. He entered the Army in Jan. 1943. Tom served in Germany with the 20th Armored Division and was involved in liberating the Dachau Concentration Camp.

He was united in marriage with Laura Van't Hul on Nov. 2, 1945, shortly before his discharge from the army in Feb. of 1946. He attended Calvin College and Seminary and Michigan State University.
Ordained to the Ministry in Jan. of 1958, Tom served churches in Waterloo, IA and Hammond, IND. In the fall of 1965, Tom transitioned into chaplaincy, serving first as a chaplain at the Pine Rest Christian Hospital in Cutlerville, MI. He later served as a chaplain in the Sierra Conservation Center in Jamestown CA, a medium security prison affiliated with the State of CA prison.
In the fall of 1970, Tom returned to his roots, accepting a transfer from the VA Hospital in Livermore to the VA Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D., where he served for many years as the Chief of Chaplaincy Services.
Since 1978, Tom was a charter member of Shalom Christian Reformed Church, where he served as associate pastor, counselor,and elder over those many years.
After his retirement in Jan. of 1988, Tom and Laura volunteered with Christian Reformed World Relief at many disaster sites across the United States, Tom continued to enjoy theology, politics, and current events as well as life long ministering and encouragement to those around him, often through the hundreds of custom greeting cards he made on his computer.

Tom was one of nine children and is survived by sisters, Esther Cleveringa and Lenora DeWit, brother Mike (Nancy) Vanden Bosch and Nelma Vanden Bosch.
Laura passed away at the age of 82 in Dec. of 2008, after 63 years of marriage. His children include Tom Vanden Bosch of Guadalajara, Mexico, Gloria (Dale) Hansen of Sioux Falls, S.D.; grandchildren include Amy (Rob) Preston of Fort Meyers, FLA., Alyssa (Judah) Sali of Arandas, Mexico, Mabutu Malual of Jamestown, N.D. Ryan (Beth) Vanden Bosch of Sioux Falls, Erin (Dustin) Strande of Sioiux Falls, and Sarah (Nick) Engbers of Sioux Falls, ; great granchildren include Zachary, Sydney, Noah and Ava Preston, Lane and Benjamin Sali, Adel Malual, and Cooper, Cate, and Campbell Strande. His children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren were a source of great pride and joy.
In 2011, Tom married Fran Groeneweg. They lived together at Aspen Heights ini Hull, IA, for 4 years and more recently at the Rock Rapids Health Centre in Rock Rapids.

Memorials may be directed to World Renew (CRWRC) or Luke Society.

Source: Rock Valley Bee 4-13-2016