Clarice Pearl Vande Griend

     Clarice Vande Griend, age 84 of Sioux Center, Iowa died Friday, August 9, 2019 at Sioux Center Health in Sioux Center, IA.

          Funeral services will be 10:30 AM Monday, August 12, 2019 at First Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Center, IA.  Burial will follow in the Memory Gardens at Sioux Center.

     Visitation will be Sunday, August 11th from 4:00 to 7:00 PM with family present at the Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center.

     The Vande Griend family prefers memorials to Christian Education and Justice For All (JFA).

     Clarice Pearl Vande Griend was born on February 28, 1935 to Jake and Agnes (Faber) Dykstra.

     She grew up near Middleburg and attended a country school through the 8th grade before going on to Hull Western Christian High School where she graduated in 1952.

     She was united in marriage to Jerace Vande Griend on May 5, 1953.  They were blessed with a family of six boys.  They spent their years together living in the communities of Hull, Hospers, and Sioux Center, Iowa.  Clarice was a cook at Western Christian and she and Jerace also had a carpet cleaning business for many years.  Together, they performed custodial duties at First Christian Reformed Church in Hull.

     Jerace and Clarice retired to Sioux Center in 2003.  She kept busy with gardening, cleaning, cooking, and more cleaning while Jerace worked for the City of Sioux Center and drove bus routes for Western Christian.  As a member of First Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center, she enjoyed attending Coffee Break and Gleaner’s Bible Study with Jerace.  During their retirement years, they traveled, visiting children and grandchildren throughout the country.  Their trip to Europe was one of the highlights of their travels.  After 59 years of marriage, Jerace passed away in 2013.

     She enjoyed attending activities, concerts, and graduations of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and spending time with them.  Clarice loved giving her time to JFA of Rock Valley and looked forward to the fellowship with others.  Music played an important part of her everyday life and supported her strong faith and trust in the Lord.

     Those left to cherish her memory of 84 years are her six children:  Jeff and Janie Vande Griend of Sibley, IA; Kerwin and Kim Vande Griend of Shoreline, WA; Terry and Coby Vande Griend of Lethbridge, AB; Mark and Kim Vande Griend of Sioux Center, IA;  Steven Vande Griend of Lynnwood, WA; and Brian and Lori Vande Griend of Colorado Springs, CO.  She was blessed with 18 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.  Clarice is survived by two sisters, Betty Smit of Orange City, IA, and Joyce Groeneweg of Sioux Center, IA; sisters-in-law, Joyce Mesman of Hudsonville, MI; Lyla and Don Boer of Hull, IA; Myrna Koning of Grandville, MI; and Veralyn and Mert Plender of Denver, CO.

     She was preceded in death by her parents, Jake and Agnes Dykstra, parents in-law, Floyd and Nelvia Vande Griend, husband, Jerace Vande Griend, grandsons Ryan Vande Griend and Patrick Doom; brothers-in-law Arnold Smit, Ron Groeneweg, Hank Koning, and Pete Mesman.