Eenigenburg, Martha – 1926-2010

BOENDER, BOSS, BOWMAN, BROWER, BRUXVOORT, DE VRIES, EENIGENBURG, GOEMAAT, HUIZENGA, MULDER, RIETVELD, SCHINKEL, STERK, STOUWIE, TAMBRINI, VAN BAALE, VAN ENGELENHOVEN, VAN VELDHUIZEN, VAN WEELDEN, VAN WIEREN, VELDHUIZEN, VERBURG, VOS, VROEGH

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 10/11/2010 at 11:19:18

Martha (Boender) Eenigenburg, 83, of Pella died Thursday evening, Sept. 30, 2010, at the Hospice of Pella Comfort House in Pella.
A funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. today at the Calvary Christian Reformed Church in Pella. Interment will be in the Forest Cemetery in Oskaloosa.
Source: Newton Daily News; Monday, October 4, 2010

Additional information from Van Dyk - Duven Funeral Home website:
On December 21, 1926, on a farm in rural Mahaska County near Pella, Iowa, Martha Boender was born. She was the daughter of William and Christine De Vries Boender, both of whom who were born in the Netherlands. Martha attended grade schools in the Pella and Oskaloosa, Iowa areas.
On March 8, 1946, she was united in marriage with Tunis Sterk, who was one of 13 children that were born to Delis and Berdena Vroegh Sterk. Martha and Tunis were married at the home of her parents by Oskaloosa, Iowa while Tunis was serving with the U. S. Army during World War II. From this union three sons were born: Dale Eugene, Lyle, and Dwight Allen. Following his discharge on January 12, 1947, they farmed in the vicinities of New Sharon and Oskaloosa, Iowa and then moved to a farm northeast of Otley, Iowa. Tunis was actively engaged in farming there when he passed away suddenly on April 10, 1976, at the age of 52 years. Martha continued to stay on their farm following his untimely death. She and her two sons, Dale and Dwight, worked the farm ground together for a couple years. She then had a farm sale and moved to Pella.
On September 5, 1981, Martha married Cornelius "Bud" Eenigenburg in Lansing, Illinois. Martha became involved in the lives of his 10 children, some of whom she even helped raise. Martha resided in Lansing for the next 26 years and during that time developed many lasting friendships. On April 20, 2008, her husband, Cornelius Eenigenburg, entered into eternity. Martha was always a woman of strong faith who learned to accept things with grace, wit and a positive outlook. She was full of drive and ambition. She loved digging in the dirt and growing beautiful flowers, and always felt close to God when she could do so. Even with Martha's failing physical condition she remained very determined in spirit because of her strong faith. God loved her more, even though she loved the life he had given her, and called her to her eternal rest on Thursday, evening September 30, 2010, at the age of 83 years while being cared for at the Hospice of Pella Comfort House in Pella, Iowa. Martha's one desire in life was that her blended families would all come to know the Lord as she did.
Those left to cherish her memory are her two sons, their wives, and their families:Dale and Marilyn (Van Engelenhoven) Sterk of Otley, Iowa,Brian and Jenni Sterk,Trevor, Riley Sterk,Jaci and Eric Goemaat,Colten, Mackenna Goemaat,Teresa and Josh Van Baale,Tyler Sterk, Danica Van Baale; Dwight and Angela (Verburg) Sterk of Pella, Iowa,Ron, Justen Sterk,Kayla, Travis Bowman. Martha's blended family of 10 step-children and their spouses all of the Illinois and Indiana area are: Joyce Van Wieren, Mary and Ray Tambrini, Robert and Marianne Eenigenburg, Jennifer and Clarence Huizenga, Barbara and Douglas Mulder, Jeffrey and Sheryl Eenigenburg, Carol and Jerold Boss, Beth and Dan Rietveld, Mark and Graziella Eenigenburg, Joel Eenigenburg and his friend, Janet Novak; 40 step-grandchildren; and 12 step-great-grandchildren. Of her original family of 10 sisters and brothers, Martha leaves her sister, Cornelia "Kay" (Herman) Bruxvoort of Newton, Iowa, one brother, Harry Boender and his wife, Elizabeth of Oskaloosa, Iowa; her sisters-in-law: Edna (John) Boender of Pella, Marilyn (Cornie) Boender of Oskaloosa, Wilma (Sam Boender) Van Weelden of Oskaloosa; her brother-in-law, Harold (Wilma Boender) Van Veldhuizen and his wife, Leona, of Oskaloosa; a brother-in-law, Jay (Nellie Sterk) Veldhuizen and a sister-in-law, Gladys (Brower) Sterk both of Oskaloosa.
Martha was preceded in death by her husbands, Tunis Sterk and Cornelius Eenigenburg; an infant son, Lyle, who died in 1953; her parents, William and Christine Boender; four brothers and their wives: Sam Boender, Edward and Marilyn Boender, John Boender, Cornie Boender; three sisters and their husbands: Helen and Guy Bruxvoort, Nellie and Jake Stouwie, Wilma Van Veldhuizen; her brother-in-law, Herman Bruxvoort; her parents-in-law, Delis and Berdena Sterk; the following brothers-in-law: John, William, Cornie,and Peter Sterk; and the following sisters-in-law: Grace (Sterk) Vos, Nellie (Sterk) Veldhuizen, Johanna (Sterk) Schinkel, and Gertrude (Sterk) Brower. Martha was and had been a member of the Calvary Christian Reformed Church in Pella, Iowa where she had been active in Calvinettes and always wanted to do her best to make it a fun, learning time as a counselor. Martha crochetted many afghans. She and a group of close friends delighted in giving Victorian tea parties in nursing homes and various other places. Most importantly Martha loved God and the life He had given her and lived it abundantly sharing this love with everyone around her.