Marvin J. Vanden Bosch

ROCK VALLEY, IOWA – Marvin J. Vanden Bosch, 87, of Rock Valley, died on Friday, July 31, 2020 at the Hegg Health Center in Rock Valley.

   Memorial Service will be 3:00 p.m. Monday, August 3, 2020 at the Trinity Christian Reformed Church in Rock Valley, with a time of food and fellowship and a time to visit with the family to follow from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Private family burial with military rites at the Valley View Cemetery will precede the memorial service. The service will be live streamed on the church website at trinitycrc.com or on Premier Communications channel 77. Public viewing, with no family present, will be held Sunday, August 2, from 1:00-6:00 PM at Porter Funeral Home. The Porter Funeral Home in Rock Valley is assisting the family. The family prefers memorials be directed to the Rock Valley Christian School.

   Marvin Junior Vanden Bosch, son of John and Henrietta (Vande Vegte) Vanden Bosch, was born July 10, 1933 at Rock Valley, Iowa. He married Nelmina Haan on April 7, 1954 in Hills, Minnesota. Less than a year after the couple was married, Marv was inducted into the United States Army. He served from 1955-1957, during the Korean Conflict. For 14 of those months Marv was stationed in Japan. Upon returning home, Marv and Nel lived and raised their family in Rock Valley. Marv worked for 25 years hauling eggs for Waldbaum Trucking.

   Marv had a heart for Jesus and was always willing to witness to people and made sure they knew the Story of Salvation. In addition to his love for Jesus, Marv dearly loved his family and looked forward to time spent with them. Whether he was helping out family, friends, or babysitting for MOPS, Marv was always willing to lend a hand. Marv was also fondly known around Rock Valley as the “Candyman” or “Grandpa Gum.” He would generously hand out full-size candy bars or packs of gum. In addition to his generosity with candy, Marv also had a birthday calendar that he would check daily to make birthday phone calls to family and friends. Marv was a charter member of Trinity Christian Reformed Church in Rock Valley.

   Marv is survived by his 7 children, Von (Doug) Postma of Rock Valley, Gary (Deb) Vanden Bosch of Richmond, Minnesota, Pam (Dennis) De Jager of Rock Valley, John (Bev) Vanden Bosch of Rock Valley, Greg (Teresa) Vanden Bosch of Hull, Iowa, Carol (Mike) Bonestroo of Rock Valley, and Sharla (Brent) De Boef of Hockessin, Delaware; 27 grandchildren; 53 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great-grandchild; brother, Leonard Vanden Bosch of Rock Valley; and 3 brothers-in-law, Hilbert Vande Kamp of Sanborn, Iowa, Rich (Henrietta) Haan of Brandon, South Dakota, and Pete (Alice) Haan of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

   Preceding Marv in death were his parents, John and Henrietta; wife, Nel; great-granddaughter, Grace Feenstra; and sisters, Nina Bolkema and Loraine Vande Kamp.