Mulder, Marla G (Mrs. Rev. Alfred) 1948-2019

MULDER, KONING, DRAGSTRA, DEJONG

Posted By: Marjorie Brunsting-Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:35

Mrs. Marla Koning Mulder, age 70, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, formerly of Orange City, Iowa, passed away on Monday, July 1, 2019, at her daughter Kara’s home in Sioux Center, Iowa.

There will be a memorial service on Saturday, July 6, at 11:00am, at the First Christian Reformed Church in Orange City. The Rev. Mark Vande Zande will officiate. Interment will be prior to the service at the West Lawn Cemetery in Orange City. There will be a family prayer service on Saturday, at 10:00am, at the church.

Visitation with the family will be on Friday, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm, at the church.

Arrangements are with the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.

Marla Gayle was born on November 7, 1948, in Orange City, the daughter of Thomas I. and Tena (Dragstra) De Jong. She was raised in Orange City, where she attended the Christian School through the ninth grade, graduated from Western Christian High School in Hull, and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in education at Dordt College in Sioux Center.

She was a first and/or second grade schoolteacher at the Zuni Christian Reformed Mission School, Red Rock Elementary School, and Rehoboth Christian school, all in New Mexico, and for 28 years at Orange City Christian School. She also taught Headstart in Durant, Oklahoma, and was the secretary at the Bethany Christian Reformed Church in Gallup.

On June 12, 1973, Marla married Gene Edward Koning in Zuni. He passed away on February 7, 2016, in Orange City. On July 24, 2018, she married Rev. Alfred “Al” Mulder and they made their home in Grand Rapids.

Marla was a member of the First Christian Reformed Church, where she accompanied the sanctuary choir and the Men of Jubilant Praise Quartet. She also accompanied the Siouxland Women’s Chorus and the praise singing of grades kindergarten through third grade at Orange City Christian School.

She enjoyed spending time with family and friends, especially her grandchildren, playing the piano, traveling, gardening, and reading.

Survivors include her husband, Al; her four daughters and their husbands, Gena and Todd Bloemendaal, of Westminster, Colorado; Kimberlee and Greg Vegter, of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin; Krista and Brian Krygsman, of Grand Rapids; and Kara and Alan Miller, of Sioux Center; nine grandchildren, Koen and Derek Bloemendaal; Trever and Tayler Vegter; Hazel and Adelaide Krygsman; and Tulley, Bliss, and Nova Miller; three brothers, Irwin De Jong, and his wife, Judy, of Orange City; Cal De Jong, of Orange City; and Paul De Jong, of India; a sister-in-law, LaVonne De Jong, of Hull; Gene’s four siblings and their spouses, Lee and Bonnie Koning, of Terrell, Texas; Ann Koning, of Grand Rapids; Ginger Koning, of Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Karl and Sue Koning, of Renton, Washington; along with cousins, nieces and nephews, and their children.

She also is survived by Al’s family, Bonny Mulder-Behnia, and her husband, Jahan Behnia, of Bellflower, California; Diane, and her husband, Joe Garcia, of Gallup; and Carla Huber, and her friend, Claudio Martinez, of Albuquerque; Al’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and his siblings, their spouses, and extended family.

In addition to her parents and first husband, Gene, she was preceded in death by a brother, Will De Jong; Gene’s parents, Stan and Margaret Koning; his brother, Dirk Koning; and his sister, Joy Koning.

Memorials may be directed to the Orange City Christian School or The Bible League International.

Source: Oolman Funeral Home online obituary.