Lester Te Grotenhuis

     Lester Te Grotenhuis age 91 of Sioux Center, IA died Thursday, February 9, 2023, at Sioux Center Health.

     A funeral service will be held at 11AM on Monday, February 13, 2023 at the Carmel Reformed Church of Rural Rock Valley, Iowa with Rev. Roger Voskuil officiating.  The service will be viewable on the Carmel Reformed Church Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/carmelreformedchurch Interment will follow the service in the Carmel Church Cemetery.

     A visitation will be held on Monday prior to the service from 9:30-11AM at the Carmel Reformed church.

The Te Grotenhuis family prefer memorials be directed to the Carmel Reformed Church. 

     Lester G. Te Grotenhuis, the son of Willard and Hattie (Bouma) Te Grotenhuis, was born on January 18, 1932.  He was raised on a farm near Carmel and attended country school, Sioux Center Christian School, and later graduated from Hull Western Christian in Hull, IA.  After high school, Lester enlisted in the U.S. Army and attended basic training in Georgia.

     On February 25, 1954, he was united in marriage to Joan Prins at the Carmel Reformed Church.  The couple lived in Kentucky while Lester finished serving in the army. They then moved to Sioux Center, IA where they made their family home for sixty-eight years.  They were blessed with five children:  Laurie, Leon, Sheryl, Marlyn and Mark.

     Lester was a member of the Carmel Reformed Church where he served as a Sunday School teacher, deacon & elder.  He passed his love for the Lord onto his children and grandchildren.  He lived a life of service to his Lord and Savior.

   Lester was employed by Ver Hoef Automotive as parts manager for 38 years. He had a love of sports. Some of his favorites included baseball, golfing, fishing & hunting. He treasured spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and attending their many activities.

     Lester will forever be missed by his wife of almost sixty-nine years,  Joan Te Grotenhuis of Sioux Center, IA; five children, Laurie (Leon) Vanden Bosch of Rock Valley, IA, Leon (Diane) Te Grotenhuis of Castle Rock, CO, Sheryl Winterfeld of Sioux Center, IA, Marlyn (Maureen) Te Grotenhuis of Sioux Center, IA, and Mark (Sarah) Te Grotenhuis of Sioux Center, IA; grandchildren Jennifer (Chris) Lincecum, Tessa (Mike) Belker, Bret (Paige) Vanden Bosch, Corey Winterfeld, Alissa (Wade) Kroeze, Kelsi (Drew) Ebel, Marcus (Jordyn) Winterfeld, Emily Te Grotenhuis, Katie (Jerod) Hansen, Erika Te Grotenhuis, Andrew Te Grotenhuis, Casey Te Grotenhuis & Jolee Te Grotenhuis and 19 great-grandchildren. His family will forever cherish the Godly legacy he left.

Lester was also survived by a brother, Marv (Wanda) Te Grotenhuis of Texas; sister-in-law, Rose Prins of Sioux Center, IA; many nieces, nephews and other extended family.

     He was preceded in death by his parents, Willard and Hattie Te Grotenhuis; brother, Gaynor (Elsie) Te Grotenhuis; sister, Myrtle (Jerry) Van’t Hul; brother-in-law, Marv Prins, and great grandson, Jude Kroeze.