Long-time Sully couple keeps the love strong after 62 years

As we close out February, the month known for love, a local couple, Vern and Lucy Jansen of Sully, gives us a glimpse of how love is defined in their marriage that spans six decades and includes eight kids, 26 grandchildren, and 33 great-grandchildren.

Love & Family

Vern grew up in Sully, born and raised just two houses down from where he lives today. Lucy, born and raised in Minnesota, moved to Sully after graduating from Calvin College and was hired as the new Sully Christian School kindergarten teacher. Her first class had 27 students, and her classroom was a garage in town! The Sully resident and the new girl in town met at Young People’s, a church group at Sully Christian Reformed Church.

“I was the last one Vern dropped off that night after Young People’s, I think he planned it that way,” said Lucy with a smile. The two were married June 13, 1957, at the CRC church in town where they still faithfully attend today.

Living in a trailer behind Vern’s mother’s house in Sully for their first four years, the Jansen family tripled in size with four little ones added and was running out of space. In 1961, the Jansens purchased the home they still live in today at 403 1st Street in Sully. The Jansens’ kids  — Pamela, Debra, Donovan, and Randall — were overjoyed with all the new space this home had to offer!

For four years, the Jansens remained a family of six. Then, four more children were born, Bruce, Brent, Kyle, and Renae. With four bedrooms and one bathroom, you can imagine their love for each other was tested a little during those growing-up years. When asked how they raised eight kids, “Lots of love and lots of patience,” said Lucy. “Oh, they were ornery teenagers at times,” said Vern with a chuckle.

When the kids were young, Lucy always had a batch of cookie dough mixed up and waiting in the fridge to bake up later. “I rarely had many cookies to bake up, lots of kids sneaking the dough out of the fridge as a snack,” remembered Lucy. “Sometimes I only got 12 baked cookies out of a batch!”

Vern recalled the orneriness of the Jansen kids after finding numerous dollops of cookie dough on the kitchen ceiling. “They liked to see how long it would stay up there!” Vern said with a laugh.

With no dishwasher and a mound of dishes after every meal, everyone got in on the clean-up around the kitchen. And Lucy is still proud that all eight kids learned how to cook. “Even the boys,” said Lucy with a smile.

While raising their family, both Vern and Lucy worked outside the home. For the majority of his working career, Vern worked as a plumber for Lanser Home Service in Pella. He retired from there three years ago after 40 years of service. But, Vern still is the first to be called by any of the family members when home or farm repair help is needed.

After teaching kindergarten and being a substitute teacher for a few years, Lucy changed career paths and became an OB nurse, assisting the delivery of thousands of babies over her 41-year career at the Grinnell hospital. Working the 3-11 p.m. shift also allowed Lucy to do in-home daycare for 19 years to help pay the bills of a family of 10. And still today, Lucy is providing daycare services as a substitute at the two local daycares, still loving on babies in the baby rooms.

Though nowadays the Jansen house isn’t nearly as full as when all 10 family members lived there, the evidence of the large family is all around the home. A walk through the house shows all eight children’s wedding photos displayed above the couch and more family photos lovingly hung on the couple’s china cabinet. Love is also displayed throughout the house, from colorful masterpieces from the great-grandkids that hang proudly on the kitchen fridge to numerous Christmas card photos of family and former babysitting kids displayed around the kitchen phone wall.

The test of love

Over 62 years of marriage, there have been many tests and trials, but Vern and Lucy’s love for each other and their family and God’s love have gotten them through. The toughest trial came 12 years ago when Lucy and a friend were involved in a car accident three miles north of Sully when another car crossed the center line and hit Lucy’s car.

“She wasn’t expected to live,” said Vern. “I stayed there night and day, never came home while she was in the hospital.”

“They wanted to cut my foot off,” said Lucy. “I told them to save it if they could. They also didn’t think I would walk again.”

Three months in the hospital, three more months in a rehab facility, and eight surgeries later, Vern’s love of his life arrived back home to their house in Sully. And even though she has a limp, she’s walking and sharing how lots of love by family and friends and their faith in God got them through this biggest trial in their marriage.

Vern also had a medical scare when they were vacationing in Florida five years ago when he suffered a stroke. A story of its own including crossing numerous lanes of Florida traffic, a miraculous stop at a Marriott Hotel, and a hospital only three blocks away resulted in a full medical recovery for Vern.

Oldest son Donovan also had a stroke a few years ago. During his recovery time at his home in Las Vegas, each of his seven siblings spent a week with him, showing the family’s strong love for each other.

Vern and Lucy Jansen's family includes their eight children. They are pictured from left: Kyle Jansen, Deb Groenenboom, Bruce Jansen, Don Jansen, Renae Harms, Pam Vos, Vern Jansen, Brent Jansen, Lucy Jansen, and Randy Jansen. They also have 26 grandkids and 33 great-grandkids with another one due this summer.

Family traditions

The Jansen family has a strong family tradition of coffee time after church on Sunday mornings. A tradition started by Vern’s family generations ago, five families in the Sully area take turns hosting whoever can come each Sunday.

“The kids, grandkids, and great-grandchildren all love to come to coffee time here and play with all my old toys,” Lucy said with a smile. “Forty-five adults and kids were here last Sunday!”

With a family of eight kids, 26 grandkids, and 33 great-grandkids with one more due in July, you can imagine getting together is no easy feat. “We always celebrate together the Friday after Thanksgiving,” Lucy said. “It’s our Christmas and Thanksgiving together, a very special time.”

The extended Jansen family has outgrown the space of their childhood home, so the church basement is rented. Last year, 85 family members were in attendance!

Love advice

At ages 82 and 84, the Jansen duo tells their grandchildren and great-grandchildren to find good Christian friends, don’t drink and drive, have faith in God, and don’t ever go to bed angry.

“We sometimes have different opinions where I think this way and Vern thinks another way, but we try to look at each side of the problem and solve it together, never go to bed angry,” said Lucy.

Reading God’s Word has also been an anchor in their marriage. The book of Psalms holds several favorite Bible verses of the couple, as shown by the well-loved and worn Bible that sits prominently on their kitchen table. “God is good and has blessed us richly. Always love one another, and love God too,” concluded the couple.

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