Gladys De Pree

Gladys De Pree, 90, of Maurice, IA died Saturday, September 18, 2010 at Royale Meadows Care Center in Sioux Center, IA. A visitation will be held Monday from 4-8PM with the family present from 6-8PM at the Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center. Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 10AM at First Reformed Church of Maurice, IA with Rev. Mark Haverdink officiating. Interment will follow the service in Sherman Township Cemetery of rural Maurice. Gladys F. De Pree was born February 23, 1920 to Jake and Fannie (Schutt) Den Herder on a farm near Maurice, Iowa. She attended Maurice Public School, graduating from Maurice high School with the Class of 1937. In the years after high school Gladys lived with her parents helping with the farm and house work; she intermittently worked as a hired-girl for families in need of assistance. She married Kenneth De Pree at the First Reformed Church of Maurice on September 29, 1950. They made their home in Maurice until Gladys moved to Franken Manor in Sioux Center, Iowa in 2000 following Ken's death. In 2005, she became a resident of the Sioux Center Nursing Wing, later Royale Meadows Care Center. Gladys was a homemaker and mother of two sons: Scott K. and Barry G. De Pree. All her life she enjoyed music and was an accomplished pianist and organist. Gladys was an organist at Maurice First Reformed for many years, and accompanied the choir, soloists and other small groups. She taught piano to many young pupils among who were three young sisters, who later formed a singing trio, the Van Roekel Sisters. Gladys accompanied them for many years and formed a lasting bond of friendship. She was a lifelong member of the First Reformed Church of Maurice; active in women's groups and taught Sunday school. Gladys enjoyed flowers gardening and sewing clothes for herself and others. She helped write and edit a 600 page book on Maurice area history for the town's centennial celebration in 1991. Gladys is survived by her two sons: Scott and Barry De Pree of George, IA; three granddaughters: Jessica (Tim) De Boer of Archer, Natalie Thoreau of Ames and Rachel (Josh) Nelson of Sheldon; and five great grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister, Myra Vlieger of Orange City and brother and sister-in-law, George and Trudy Den Herder of Luverne, MN and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, Kenneth, Gladys was preceded in death by her parents; sister and brother-in-law, Jeanette and Wilbur De Jong and brother-in-law, Jim Vlieger. Online Condolences Tom Aldrich Sioux Center Relationship: friend Barry and family, Sorry to hear of Gladys' passing. Your loss is temporary. We will miss seeing you on Sundays Barry. Mary Aldrich, The Tom Aldrich family Sent: 9/20/2010