Henrietta Veldhuizen, 86, of Pella, passed away Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, at Pella Regional Health Center. Funeral services were held Wednesday, Oct. 21, at Peoria Christian Reformed Church. Interment was in Oakwood Cemetery, Pella. Memorial contributions are suggested for Peoria Christian Reformed Church or Pella Historical Society.
Henrietta Brink was born Feb. 1, 1934, in her home near Oskaloosa. She was the seventh child born to Marion and Henrietta (Van Weelden) Brink. She walked to a country school where she graduated from the eighth grade and graduated as salutatorian from Fremont High School with the Class of 1951. Henrietta and her mother moved into Oskaloosa after her father died in 1951, and she found employment at the Farmers Savings Bank in Fremont and the Mahaska State Bank in Oskaloosa. Soon after meeting Leonard Veldhuizen, who was drafted into the United States Army during the Korean War, they were united in marriage Feb. 6, 1953, at Protestant Reformed Church in Oskaloosa. They were blessed with three children: Sheryl Ann, Leon Wayne, and Sandra Lynn. Leonard and Henrietta farmed and continued to reside on the farm of his parents, Jacob H. and Marie (Van Zee) Veldhuizen, near Taintor. After 40 years of marriage, they retired and moved into Pella in October 1992 to 311 Pine Street. Farm life, gardening, as well as helping on the farm were always enjoyed by both. They became members of Peoria Christian Reformed Church where Henrietta continued to be a member. Church involvement was very important to Henrietta, along with school activities, and she and Leonard enjoyed many mission trips with other church members.
Leonard passed away Sunday, Nov. 21, 1993, at the age of 65 years. Henrietta was then employed at Pella Historical Village where she volunteered with various activities, decorated, cleaned, and enjoyed greeting tourists for 26 years. Henrietta retired in 2019 after receiving the Distinguished Service Award. She continued to enjoy attending many school activities of her seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. She did quite a bit of reading, embroidering towels, and visiting with her many friends.
Those who will cherish her memory are her three children and their families: Sheryl (Dennis) Mulder of Oskaloosa, Leon (Sherry) Veldhuizen of New Sharon, Sandy (Rod) Lanser of Pella; her sister Elsie Kelderman of Oskaloosa; and a brother-in-law Henry Veldhuizen of Pella of her original family.
She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; her siblings and their spouses: Angeline and Lawrence Van Mersbergen, Alice and John Van Englehoven, Richard and Virginia Brink, Dorothy and Jake Kuiken, Marion and Jeanella Brink; her brother-in-law Harold Kelderman; her parents-in-law; and the following sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Gladys and Marvin Vander Molen, Geraldine and Arnold Dykhuis, and Alma Veldhuizen.
