Larry Engbers, 78, of Pella, passed away Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, at The Cottages in Pella. Graveside services with military honors were held Thursday, Nov. 12, at 11 a.m. Burial was in Black Oak Cemetery, Mahaska County. Memorial contributions may be designated for Peoria Christian School or Zeeland (MI) Christian School.
Larry William Engbers was born in a farmhouse “down the lane at the other place” near Pella the day after Christmas, Dec. 26, 1941. He was the third of four children born to William and Pearl (Vande Haar) Engbers. He attended Pella Christian Schools and graduated from Pella Christian High School with the Class of 1960. During high school, Larry sang bass with the choir and played the snare drums with the band for four years. In 1962, Larry enlisted in the Army National Guard of Iowa and rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant. He also won Best Soldier Award in 1967. He served as a tank commander and ran a platoon. While he never served in active duty, he was ready to go to Cuba for the Cuban Missile Crisis before it was canceled.
Larry went deer hunting with Marty Vander Molen, and they “went looking for a four-legged deer and found a two-legged dear.” The “dear” was Viola Mae Vander Molen, Marty’s sister. Following their courtship, Larry and Vi were united in marriage on Aug. 5, 1964, at First Christian Reformed Church in Pella. They became the parents of four daughters: Lora Elaine, Lynda Lee, Victoria Lynn, and LaVon Kay.
Larry was a farmer through and through and enjoyed all his years of farming the family farm. He also worked as a welder and painter for Roose Manufacturing in Pella, delivered for Genex Welding Supplies, and prior to his retirement in 2007, he worked in steel fabrication at Vermeer Corporation. During many of these years and into retirement, he and Vi enjoyed working in their vineyard, which they named “Larry’s Berries and Vi’s Vines.” Larry and Vi continued living on their farm northeast of Pella until they became residents at Vriendschap Village in Pella in 2014. They were privileged to share 54 years of married life together when Vi passed away on Apr. 18, 2019. Larry continued to reside there until in the fall of 2019 he became a resident at The Cottages in Pella, where he passed away. Larry enjoyed fishing, hunting, and camping. He enjoyed growing grapes and entering exhibits at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. He won Best Vineyard Award in Iowa and the Lee Klein Premium Fruit Exhibitor Award in 2012. His favorite place was “home,” and he enjoyed learning about World War II.
Larry is survived by his four daughters and their families: Lora (Fred) Anderson of Mountain Home, ID, Lynda (Joel) Veenstra of Searsboro, Victoria (Doug) Zylstra of Zeeland, MI, and LaVon (Mark) Lenaway of Batavia, IL.
Larry leaves his two sisters: Marge (Art) Kuiper of Pella and Virginia (Alvin) Hoekstra of Kenosha, WI; his sister-in-law, Jan (Jim Engbers) Fronek of Tinley Park, IL; along with the following brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Marty and Betty Vander Molen of Sully, Judy and Arvin Kelderman, Rita and Don Van Maanen, Joyce (Byron) Vander Molen, Christy and Jim Van Zee, all of Pella; and many nieces and nephews.
Larry was preceded in death by his wife, Vi; a stepgranddaughter, Lauren Anderson; his parents; his brother, Jim Engbers; his brother-in-law, Alvin Hoekstra; his parents-in-law, Ben and Christine (Struik) Vander Molen; and his brother-in-law, Byron Vander Molen.
Larry was baptized and was a member of the First Christian Reformed Church in Pella where he made profession of his faith at the age of 16. He enjoyed serving on the Buildings and Grounds Committee for Pella Christian Grade School. Larry was presently a member of the Covenant Reformed Church in Pella and enjoyed years of singing in the church choir.
