Glen A. VanEngen Obituary (1920 - 2016)

Glen A. VanEngen, 96 years of age, of Adams, Ne passed away at the Gold Crest Retirement Center in Adams Wednesday morning, December 21, 2016. He was born on a farm near Adams on April 3, 1920 to Gerrit and Maggie (Klein) VanEngen, and was a 1938 graduate of Adams High School. Glen served his country in the United States Army Air Corp from April 14, 1942 until November 24, 1945 and was a mechanic for the B-17 bombers. Glen married Ruth E. Wilson on January 4, 1943 in Boise, Idaho. He farmed near Adams until moving into Adams in 1957. He and his brother Wayne owned and operated VanEngen Oil & Repair in Adams from 1957 until they retired in 1984. He was a member of the Pella Reformed Church, R. Adams and had served as elder, deacon, and on the church council; past member of the Adams Public School Board and the Adams Town Board; had served as the mayor of Adams for 20 years; and was a Gideon. Glen enjoyed hunting and fishing; auctions; fixing things (especially Clocks); trap shooting; and collected pocket watches. Glen built a Model T from spare parts he could find. Survivors include his sons; Floyd VanEngen and wife Bonnie of Adams, and Calvin VanEngen and wife Linda of Lincoln; 6 grandchildren Angie McMurray and husband Eric of Odell, Jeff VanEngen and wife Marcy of Sterling, Katie Lane and husband Jarod of Lincoln, Kelly VanEngen of Bellevue, Matthew VanEngen and wife Lischelle of Lincoln, and Melissa Denning and husband Michael of Urbandale, Iowa; 6 great grandchildren Vanessa McMurray and fiance Jake Vaught, Brady McMurray, Gerrit, Gabe, and Grace VanEngen, and Mason VanEngen; brother Wayne VanEngen and wife Marjorie of Adams; and sister in law Evelyn VanEngen of Lincoln. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife Ruth (2012); brother Roy VanEngen; and brother in law Warren Wilson and his wife Ruth. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM Saturday, December 24, 2016 at the Pella Reformed Church, R. Adams with Pastor Terry Maassen officiating. Interment will be at the Highland Cemetery. The body will lie in state Friday from 11-8:00 PM at the Griffiths-Hovendick Chapel in Adams with the family greeting friends from 6-8:00, and at the church one hour preceding the service on Saturday. A family prayer service will be held at 9:45 AM Saturday at the church. A memorial has been established to the Gold Crest Retirement Center with Paul and Connie Nyland in charge. Sign Glen's online guest book at www.ghchapel.com. These services have been entrusted to the Griffiths-Hovendick Chapel in Adams.