Herman Harm GRUIS, Jr.

GRUIS, KUIPER, ABBAS, BRANFORD, SQUIRES, HIELKEMA, NELSON, BAUMARDT

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/28/2007 at 14:16:42

November 9, 2004

Rev. Herman Harm Gruis, Jr., died on Sunday, October 31, 2004. Funeral services were held on Thursday, November 4, at the Hollandale Reformed Church, with Rev. Mark Volkers officiating. Burial was in the Clarks Grove, Minnesota Cemetery.

Herman was born on March 24, 1931 to Herman, Sr. and Jennie (Kuiper) Gruis in Hollandale. He attended school through the 8th grade. On April 10, 1953, he married Adeline Ruth Abbas at the Ackley Christian Reformed Church. He received his GED from the Austin High School in 1964, his AA from Austin Junior College in 1966, and his BA in Political Science and Economics from the Mankato State University in 1967. He attended Western Theological Seminary, earning his Master of Divinity in 1970 and become an ordained minister. He was a member of Phi Theta Kappa and the political science honor society, received first prize in Theology WTS, and was given the Pietenpol Award. Herman served at Lakeland Reformed Church in Vicksburg, Michigan from 1970-78, at First Reformed in Edgerton, Minnesota from 1978-84, at Bethany Reformed in Clara City, Minnesota from 1984-91, at Emmanuel Reformed in Morrison, Illinois from 1991-98, as interim pastor for eight months at the Reformed Church in Firth, Nebraska and at Bethany Reformed in Belmond from 1998-2004. He was a member of Rotary from 1970-78, Lions from 1984-91 and Kiwanis from 1991-97, serving as President in all three organizations.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and sister, Elizabeth. Survivors include his wife; children, Beverly (Rev. Jack) Branford, Duane Herman Gruis, Linda (Michael) Squires and Susan (Rev. Stephen) Hielkema; nine grandchildren; sister, Margaret Nelson; nephew, Larry Nelson; and niece, Judy (Tedd) Baumardt.

©Belmond Independent 2004