Meendering, George 1930-2024

MEENDERING, TESLAA, VANDEGARDE

Posted By: Marjorie Brunsting-Volunteer (email)
Date: 10/11/2024 at 19:29:02

George Meendering age 93 of Sioux Center, Iowa died Thursday, July 25, 2024 at Sioux Center Health.

Visitation will be held from 5PM to 7PM on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, at Memorial Funeral Home in Sioux Center.

A funeral service will be held at 1:30PM Wednesday, July 31, 2024 at Memorial Funeral Home with Rev. Stephen Breen officiating. Interment will follow the service in Memory Gardens Cemetery in Sioux Center.

George Meendering was born to Albert and Johanna (Te Slaa) on December 10, 1930 in Hull, Iowa. He grew up on a farm near Hull, Iowa and attended school there through the 8th grade.

On October 1, 1952, George married Ruth Vande Garde of Hull, Iowa, in a ceremony held at the First Reformed Church of Hull, Iowa. Shortly after marrying, George was drafted into the army and served two years while Ruth lived in Fort Knox, Kentucky, for a time. Upon George’s discharge, George and Ruth went to live on a farm outside Hull, where they stayed until 1962.

They moved to Sioux Center and bought a home in town. George farmed and raised hogs for a few years and then began working for the Sioux Center Community School system for more than 25 years before retiring.

George was a member of the Christian Reformed Church of Hull, Iowa until moving to Sioux Center, where he joined the First Reformed Church of Sioux Center, Iowa, now called Centerpoint Church.

George’s hobbies included fishing, woodworking, fastpitch softball and bowling. A big fan of basketball and baseball he followed the LA Lakers (previously Minneapolis) and the LA Dodgers (previously Brooklyn). He was even able to attend a game in Los Angles sitting directly behind the Laker bench of Phil Jackson, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.

George and Ruth attended many high school basketball games, girls and boys, through the years, traveling to the Iowa High School championships whenever a local team made the state tournament. They took several trips to the east and west coast for grandkids soccer, music, swimming and water polo events. He and Ruth enjoyed musical theatre and plays and often traveled to Des Moines to see them.

They were blessed with the opportunity to do a Ray Vander Lyn trip to the Holy Lands. They made a stop in the Netherlands to visit George’s family who remained in contact for years to come. He loved helping his children with MANY home improvement projects and was believed to be able to fix “anything”. A high light of his later years was a fishing trip to Cabo deep sea fishing being the American sportsman and hauling in a marlin a tuna and dorado.

George was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth, his brothers, Johnny Meendering and Bernard Meendering of Hull, Iowa and sister, Gertrude Leusink of Orange City. George is survived by his five children and their spouses: Mona (Meendering) Prince of Inwood, WV; Ron and Teri (Jilek) Meendering of Bondurant, IA; Nyla (Meendering) and Roger Nyhuis of Sioux Center, IA; Lyle and Lorri (Altena) Meendering of Visalia, CA; and Larryl Meendering of Des Moines, IA. George also has five grandchildren: Matthew Prince, Britni (Meendering) Minyard, Graham Meendering, Georan Meendering, and Hannah Meendering. He has three great-grandchildren: Brexton Minyard, Aspen Meendering and Anders Meendering.

Source: Memorial Funeral Home online obituary.