Marvin Richard Meinders was born on Aug. 8, 1942, at his family’s farm home northwest of Leighton to Gilbert and Bernice (Brux-voort) Meinders. He grew up there, attending the Black Oak Center Country School through the third grade. He then attended Pella Christian Grade School and Pella Christian High School, graduating with the Class of 1960.
On Aug. 16, 1968, Marvin was united in marriage to Mary J. Vos at the First Christian Reformed Church in Pella. To this union, three children were born.
Marvin was employed as a hired hand for Vernon and Marilyn De Vries for a time and also worked at the Pella Nursery and at Vermeer Manufacturing. He was an avid farmer and enjoyed using Oliver tractors in his farm operation. He had also been a member of the Army National Guard.
Marvin was a man who did not know a stranger. He enjoyed attending farm shows and serving on a variety of boards and organizations. He was a Crossroads Bible Institute instructor for six years. He served on the board of Pella Christian Grade School and as president of the Leighton Lions Club, and he received the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award in 2006. Marvin was a member of the Oskaloosa chapter of the Gideons.
Marvin had been a member of First Christian Reformed Church of Pella, where he served as both a deacon and an elder as well as a catechism teacher and Sunday School superintendent. He was currently a member of Covenant Reformed Church of Pella where he had served as an elder.
Marvin died on Apr. 30, 2014, at the Hospice of Pella Comfort House.
He is survived by: His wife, Mary J.; his two sons, Ron (Anabelle) Meinders and Steve “Wonder” Meinders; his daughter, Ruth (Jim) De Bruin; and his grandchildren, William, Roseane, and Aaron Meinders and Sharla, Zach, Dan, and Alyson De Bruin. He is also survived by his brother Harold (Florence) Meinders of Pella, sister Kathy (Ron) Van Mersbergen Dieleman of Pella, brother Gene (Ellouise) Meinders of Pella, and sister Dorothy (Jim) De Vries of Prairie City.
He was preceded in death by his parents, by his brother Marion in infancy, and by his brother-in-law Derrell Van Mersbergen.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, May 6, at the Covenant Reformed Church in Pella. Burial took place at the Porter Grove Cemetery near Pella.
