Mourine Ruth (Lieuwen) PALS

PALS, LIEUWEN, FREY, BARKEMA, BAKER, KELLEY, CARROLL, LERDAL, NEUWOHNER, ERMER, GERSEMA, CUNNINGHAM, PIETSCH, GRIMM, SMITH, STOLLER, EVANS, JASPERSON, PARKER, OSTENDORF

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/7/2007 at 14:59:12

July 20, 2004

Mourine R. Pals, 94, of Belmond, died on Wednesday, July 14, 2004, at the Belmond Health Care Center. Funeral services were held on Saturday, July 17, at the Belmond United Methodist Church, with burial in the Belmond Cemetery. Pastor Mike Druhl conducted the funeral. Organist was Dona Cleveland and soloist was Marilyn Janssen. Casket bearers were Tom Lerdal, Joel Pals, Terry Evans, Lynn Ostendorf, Terrill Baker and Robert Pals. Honorary bearers were Jean Ostendorf, Alice Bryant, Rosemary Hamilton, Shirley Fulton, Marvel Stadtlander and Judy Poolman.

Mourine Ruth, was born on July 30, 1909, on the Lieuwen family farm in Avery Township, Hancock County. She was the seventh of eleven children born to Teeke Tjaard and Helen (Frey) Lieuwen. She received her education in a rural school. Mourine married Joe Pals of Alexander on November 9, 1929, at the Parsonage of the First Reformed Church in Meservey. During the years when Joe worked for Wright County, the couple made their home in Belmond. In 1947 they moved to the Lieuwen farm where they lived until retiring to Belmond in 1974. Joe died in 1989. A homemaker all her life, Mourine's home was always the focal point for many family gatherings. She especially enjoyed New Year's Day when her family would gather for the traditional Speck en Dicken. Her grandchildren have many fond memories of times spent with her on the farm and later when she moved to town. Mourine was an excellent cook. She enjoyed trying out new recipes and then giving them her own special touch. She enjoyed knitting, crocheting, gardening, canning, and reading, especially cookbooks. Over the years, Mourine served countless cups of tea to her family and friends, along with tasty treats fresh from the oven.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; brothers, George, Bert and Donald Lieuwen; and sisters, Nellie (Hauko) Barkema, Grace (Hauko) Barkema, Rose (Ralph) Baker and Helen (Gene) Kelley. Survivors include her children, Joan (James) Carroll of Osage, David (Marlys) Pals of Cedar Falls, Carol (Roland) Lerdal of Berne, Indiana and James of Britt; grandchildren, Susan Neuwohner, Leanne Ermer, Susan Gersema, Debra Cunningham, Teresa Pietsch, Laura Grimm, Lisa Smith, Tom Lerdal, Nicole Stoller and Joel Pals; fourteen great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; sisters, Mabel (Clif) Evans of Clarion, Mary (Andy) Jasperson of Glendale, California and Margaret (Kenneth) Parker of Yucaipa, California: niece, Jean (Arnett) Ostendorf of Klemme; sister-in-law, Jennie (George) Lieuwen of Belmond; and brother-in-law, Peter (Gladys) Pals of Belmond.

©Belmond Independent 2004