Jerace Vande Griend

Jerace Vande Griend, 80, of Sioux Center, IA died Wednesday, March 27, 2013, at the Sibley Nursing and Rehab Center of Sibley, Iowa. Visitation will be held on Monday from 4-8PM, with the family present from 6-8PM at the Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center. A prayer service for family and friends will be held on Tuesday at 1PM at the First Christian Reformed Church. Interment will follow the prayer service in Memory Gardens Cemetery of Sioux Center. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday at 2PM at the First Christian Reformed Church with Rev. Carl Klompien officiating. The Vande Griend family prefer memorial be directed to the National Alzheimer's Association or Christian Education. Jerace Gene Vande Griend was born on February 6, 1933 to Floyd and Nelvia (Kosters) Vande Griend in Hull, Iowa. He was raised in the Hull area, and received his education at Hull Christian Grade School and Hull Western Christian High School. He was united in marriage to Clarice Dykstra on May 5, 1953. He served in the US Army during the years of 1954-1955. His early working years were spent driving gravel truck and working at the Hull Creamery. In 1961 he purchased a grocery store in Hospers, Iowa and worked there before moving back to Hull in 1965 where he also operated a grocery store. His later work years included selling feed, working at Sioux Preme Pack and janitorial work at the First Christian Reformed Church of Hull. Jerace and Clarice retired to Sioux Center in 2003 where Jerace was active in the daily upkeep of the flower beds for the City of Sioux Center. Jerace was a member of the First Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center where they attended the Gleaners Bible Study. His hobbies were gardening, more gardening, driving school bus and traveling. He enjoyed having his children and grandchildren around and spending time with them. Throughout his life though he was a man of few words or emotion; he led his family by example, trusting the Lord to bless his efforts. Some of his best moments in his later years were trips through the country side and coffee with his best "buddies". Those left to cherish his memory are his wife Clarice of 59 years; six sons: Jeff and Janie Vande Griend of Sibley, Kerwin and Kim Vande Griend of Edmonds, WA, Terry and Coby Vande Griend of Lethbridge, Alberta, Mark and Kim Vande Griend of Sioux Center, Steven Vande Griend of Edmonds, WA, Brian and Lori Vande Griend of Colorado Springs, CO; 15 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Jerace is also survived by his twin sister, Joyce and Pete Mesman of Hudsonville, MI; sisters: Lyla and Don Boer of Hull, Myrna Koning of Granville, MI and Veralyn and Mert Plender of Denver, CO; sister-in-laws: Betty Smit of Orange City and Joyce Groeneweg of Sioux Center. He was preceded in death by his parents; grandson, Ryan Vande Griend; brother-in-laws: Hank Koning, Arnold Smit and Ron Groeneweg.