Minerva W. Vander Streek

George, IA: Minerva W. Vander Streek, 93, of George, Iowa, formerly Rock Rapids, Iowa, died Monday, June 17, 2024, at the Sanford Sheldon Medical Center in Sheldon, Iowa. Visitation, with the family present, will be held Thursday, June 20, from Noon–1:00 PM at the Rock Valley First Reformed Church in Rock Valley, Iowa. Burial will follow at Valley View Cemetery of Rock Valley. Following the burial, a memorial service will be held at 2:30 PM at the Rock Rapids Christian Reformed Church with Rev. Douglas De Groot officiating. 

Memorials may be directed to the Rock Rapids Christian Reformed Church Bell Tower Maintenance Fund. Porter Funeral Home of Rock Valley has been entrusted with the funeral arrangements for Mrs. Vander Streek.

 Minerva Winerva (Hulstein) Vander Streek was born near Carmel, Iowa on November 4, 1930. She was a twin daughter of Conrad and Grace (Van Maanen) Hulstein. She was baptized at the Carmel Reformed Church and made profession of faith at the Middleburg Reformed Church. 

 Minerva attended school at Welcome #4 where there was a Hulstein in that school for 60 years. Later when she became a teacher, she taught there for 3 years. When Minerva was in the 4th grade, her family moved to a farm near Rock Rapids, Iowa, and later to a farm near Middleburg, Iowa. Minerva attended high school at Lester, Alvord, and Sioux Center, Iowa. She attended Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa for one year. Minerva taught in three different country schools and the last three years of her teaching career she taught first and second grade at Sanborn Christian School in Sanborn, Iowa.

 On June 27, 1958, Minerva was united in marriage to Gerrit John Vander Streek at her parents’ home. They attended the Bethel Christian Reformed in Sioux Center. They farmed near Middleburg and in 1968 they moved to a farm southwest of Rock Rapids, Iowa that they purchased. In 1990 they sold their dairy herd and in August 1994 they moved into Rock Rapids. The family attended the Christian Reformed Church in Rock Rapids where Minerva taught Sunday School for 22 years and was involved in Bible studies.

 Minerva enjoyed working outside with the lawnmowing and gardening and also helping Gerrit. On December 4, 1992, their eldest son, Gerrit Jr. was killed in a car/van accident at Walnut Grove, Minnesota. 

 On August 18, 2016, Minerva entered a nursing home in Rock Rapids. Gerrit died October 14, 2017, after 59 years of marriage. On January 13, 2021, Minerva moved to the Good Samaritan Society in George, Iowa.

 Those left to cherish her memory are her five daughters: Gracia (John) Kuipers of Platte, South Dakota and their children Wendell and Alicia, Carla (Frank) Sheda of Branson, Missouri, Wilma (Timothy) Mulder of Sioux Center, Iowa and their children, Brent, Mary, and Mark, Connie (Kevin) Van Bruggen of George, Iowa and her children, Brian, Brandon, Eric, and Kendra Timmerman, Myra (Greg) Modder of George, Iowa and their children, Scott, Dustin, and Brianna; two sons: Willard (Loretta) Vander Streek of Rock Rapids, Iowa and their sons, Jesse and Jordan, Henry (Jayna) Vander Streek of Rock Rapids, Iowa and their children, Cody Hoy, Krista, Travis, and Colton Vander Streek; daughter-in-law, Donna Vosberg of Revere, Minnesota and her daughter Dina; and 18 great-grandchildren.

 She was preceded in death by parents, Conrad and Grace; husband, Gerrit; son, Gerrit Jr.; 2 brothers; and 8 sisters.