Ed Jansen

Ed Jansen, 93, of Sioux Center, IA died Saturday, May 17, 2014, at The Sioux Center Community Hospital in Sioux Center. A visitation will be held on Monday from 4-8PM, with the family present from 5-7PM at the Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center. A prayer service for family and friends will be held on Tuesday at 10:00AM at the First Reformed Church of Sioux Center. Interment will follow the prayer service in Memory Gardens Cemetery of Sioux Center. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday at 11:00AM at the First Reformed Church with Rev. Tanner Smith officiating. The Jansen family prefers memorials to Words of Hope or Gideon's international. Edward Herman Jansen was born to Teunis and Dena (Zeutenhorst) Jansen on December 16, 1920, on a farm 4 ½ miles east of Old Town Corner in Sioux Center. He was the second of eleven children born to the family. He attended country school in Center Township and graduated from the eighth grade. On November 12, 1941, Edward Jansen and Gertrude Vande Berg were joined in marriage in the parsonage of the First Reformed Church of Sioux Center with Rev. Luke Brunsting officiating. The couple farmed for one year before Ed served in the United States Army for 37 months, spending most of his military career stationed in Hawaii. Ed was honorably discharged in January 1946. Ed had a lifelong love of anything to do with the farm. Over the years, Ed enjoyed working with his hands and was able to fix most anything. As a young man, he ran a feed grinding business in Maurice. He was later employed as a mechanic by Niessink and Kempers Implement shop in Sioux Center. On March 1, 1948, the Jansen's moved to the family farm northeast of Sioux Center. In addition to farming, he worked as a cattle buyer for several farmers in the area. Later in life, he ran the street sweeper for the City of Sioux Center. Ed was a faithful member of First Reformed Church of Sioux Center all of his life. He was devoted to his church and his faith, and would share his love for the Lord whenever the opportunity arose. He even shared his faith, from his hospital bed, with the nurses that cared for him over the last few days of his life. Ed was a loving husband and father. His family was very important to him. Grandchildren and great grandchildren were the pride of his life. He enjoyed the time spent with them playing pool, cards and various other games. He will be remembered for entertaining them with his stories of fishing and farming. He is survived by his wife of 72 ½ years, Gertrude Jansen of Sioux Center; daughter and son-in-law, Mary Lou and Kenneth Verburg of Rock Valley; two sons and daughters-in-law: Dennis and Beverly (Meendering) Jansen of Sioux Center and Glenn and Monica (Conley) Jansen of Cave Creek, AZ; six grandchildren: Kristin and Garth Robinson of Lake City, IA, Janet Bosler of Rock Valley, Jeremy and Jennifer Jansen of Sioux Center, Julie and Jared Oldenkamp of Sioux Center, Michael and Nicci Jansen of Rapid City, SD, Kent and Chelsea Jansen of Jackson, WY and 12 great grandchildren. He is also survived by one brother, Cornie and Ann Jansen of Rock Valley; sisters: Cora Broek of Sioux Center, Hermina and Willis Uittenbogaard of Sheldon, Bernice De Vos of Sioux Center, Muriel and Stan Van Otterloo of Orange City, Harriet and Eldon Tesch of Wahpeton, IA, Gerdena and John Miltenberger of Sioux City, Thelma and Ron Van Zee of Sioux Center; and one sister-in-law, Mavis Punt of Lakeville, MN and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister: Gerdena Jansen; sister and brother-in-law, Anna and Arthur Kamerman; brothers-in-law, Arend Broek, Irvin De Vos; great granddaughter, Kendall Ruth Jansen. He is also preceded in death by members of the Vande Berg family: Geraldine and John Wynia, Priscilla and John Zeutenhorst, Louise and Harold Punt, Jeanne and Martin Punt and Lowell and Trudy Vande Berg.