Martha Vis

Martha Berdene (Hogan) Vis, 88, of Urbandale, Iowa formerly of Boyden, Iowa died Tuesday December 4, 2012 at the Urbandale Health Care Center. Visitation will be held Friday at First Reformed Church of Boyden from 4-8pm with the family present from 5-7pm. A prayer service will be held Saturday at 1pm at the First Reformed Church of Boyden with the Reverends Tony and Marlin Vis presiding. Interment will follow at Sheridan Township Cemetery of Boyden. The Vis Family prefers memorials be sent to First Reformed Church of Boyden, Iowa for their mission fund. Martha Berdene (Hogan). Vis was born on August 6, 1924 to Ray and Grace (DeBey) Hogan in Sioux Center, Iowa, where she was raised and received her education at Sioux Center High School. Martha lived briefly in Grand Rapids, Michigan where she served the nation in a munitions factory during World War II. She was married to her loving husband, Peter P Vis, Jr., on August 6, 1946. Peter and Martha spent most of their 61 years of married life in Boyden, Iowa where they were co-proprietors of Peter's Gateway Store from 1959-1979. Martha was a faithful member of the First Reformed Church in Boyden. She was a gentle, loving, influential, presence in the lives of her sons and their wives, her grandchildren and their families, her siblings and their families, and her many friends. She will also be remembered as a great cook whose pot roast and "grandma bars" were among the best around. Martha is survived by her two sons: the Reverend Tony Vis and his wife, Deanna of Urbandale, Iowa and the Reverend Marlin Vis and his wife, Marcella of Zeeland, Michigan; along with her five grandchildren: Leah Koopman and her husband, Jory of Zeeland, Michigan, Abbie Ruisch and her husband, Rob of Johnston, Iowa, Joshua Vis, and his wife, Kim of Sao Bernardo, Brazil, Aaron Vis and his wife, Renee of Ames, Iowa, and Andrew Vis and his wife, Shauna of Johnston, Iowa, and 13 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother, Bernie (Eileen) Hogan of Wasilla, Alaska and her sister, Elaine (Marlo) Hogan Miller of Saint Michael, Minnesota. Martha was preceded in death by her husband, Peter; her parents, Ray and Grace Hogan; sisters, Verna Sneller and Joan Dekker; brother, Erwin John Hogan, and brother-in-law, Bill Sneller.