The Rev. Herman Maassen, 83, of 109 Olmstead St., Waupun, died Friday afternoon at Waupun Memorial Hospital where he was confined for the past month. He was born in the Netherlands, Nov. 4, 1887, a son of John and Gertrude Vander Weerd Maassen. He came to this country with his family in 1903 at which time they settled in Orange City, Iowa. He was a 1916 graduate of Hope College and a 1919 graduate of Western Theological Seminary, both in Holland, Mich. He was ordained in the Reformed Church in America in 1919.
He married Janetta Kleinjen on June 11, 1919, in Newkirk, Iowa. During the 38 years of his active ministry, he served as minister in parishes in Beaver Dam, Mich., in Cheboygan, North Holland MIch.; Friesland, in Chatham, Ontario, Canada, and North Blendon, Mich. Following his retirement in 1957 he resided in Holland, Mich. In October of this year he moved to Waupun to be near his daughter, Mrs. Clarence Posthuma of Waupun. He was a member of Bethel Reformed Church in Holland, Mich.
The Rev. Mr. Maassen is survived by his widow; two daughters, Mrs. Delbert J. Vander Haar of Irvine, Calif., and Mrs. Clarence Posthuma of Waupun; one son, the Rev. John H. Maassen of South Holland, Ill.; 15 grandchildren; one brother, Henry of Sheldon, Iowa; and one sister Mrs. Andrew Sneller of Sioux Center, Iowa.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one son, one daughter, and one brother.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. at the Bethel Reformed Church in Holland, Mich., with the Rev. Ellworth Pen Clay officiating. Burial will be in the Pilgrim Home Cemetery in Holland. Friends may call at Kohls Co. Funeral Home in Waupun from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday. The body will then be moved to the Dykstra Funeral Home in Holland, Mich., to lie in state Monday evening.
Fond du Lac Commonwealth Reporter - Saturday, November 14, 1970, Page 16
Siblings: Herman, Nellie, Teunis, Henry
Gertrude "Trudy" Maassen Vander Haar, 94, passed away on February 19, 2019.
Trudy was born November 12, 1924 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
She was the third of five children born to Rev. Herman and Jannetta (Kleinjan) Maassen.
She spent much of her childhood in North Holland, Michigan.
She graduated from Hope College in 1947.
In the same year she was married to the Rev. Delbert Vander Haar and they lived in
Illinois, Iowa, New Jersey, southern California and Yokohama, Japan before retiring
to Holland in 1992.
Trudy had a strong Christian faith and throughout her life she was involved in youth and family ministries. Del and Trudy held numerous marriage enrichment workshops around the country. Soon after the Reformed Church in America allowed women to hold the office of elder, she became an elder. Trudy was also active in women's ministries and in 1989 she chaired the RCA Women's Triennial. She was Director of Youth Education at the Yokohama Union Church in Yokohama, Japan.
Trudy's lifelong avocation and vocation was writing - curriculum, study guides and other publications for several denominations. After her children were grown, she wrote for the joy of it, publishing six books as memoirs. For eight years she interviewed and wrote biographies of Hope Church members for a publication called Branches of the Vine. Since 2007, she has written monthly columns entitled Geschriften for the Freedom Village newsletter. After returning to Holland, Trudy was an elder at Hope Church and a member of Hope Academy of Senior Professionals, and she became the first woman to serve as HASP president. She and her husband, Del, received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Hope College in 1998. In 1999, she and her husband moved to Freedom Village where she helped organize Mix and Mingle and chaired the Vespers committee. Trudy was preceded in death by Del, her husband of almost 60 years.
She is survived by four children and their spouses: Timothy and his wife Susan of Muskegon, David and his wife Lynn,Philip and his wife Anne, each of Minnesota, and Jane and her husband Rowland Van Es, Jr. of Limuru, Kenya; as well as grandchildren Sarah (David), Amber (Ryan), Tiara (David), Melissa (Stephen), Emilie (Matt), Caroline (Noah), Simon, George, Jenna and Michelle; and great grandchildren Kaleb, Adalyn, Aidan, Regan, Kylan, Konner and Peter. She is also survived by her sister Lee and (Cliff) Posthuma, sister-in-law Edith Maassen and brother- and sister-in-law Donn and Helen (Vander Haar) Nelson, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Trudy loved her family and to travel--and to write about both. Her spirit of adventure and hospitality, her love of nature and beauty, and her curious mind and engaging spirit will be missed by all who knew her.
Memorial contributions can be made to RCA Global Missions or Hope Church, Holland, Michigan. Memorial service will be held at a later date. Arrangements are by Dykstra Funeral Home - Downtown Chapel.
Published by Life Story 19 Feb 2019
Edith Marjorie (Herlein) Maassen was born in Muskegon on September 5, 1924, youngest
of eight siblings.
Her upbringing taught her compassion, faith, and perseverance.
She graduated from Muskegon Community College and Hope College, earning her master's
degree from the University of Michigan later in life.
At Hope, she studied music and organ performance and met her future husband,
Pierce Maassen.
Teaching elementary school until Pierce's seminary graduation, Edith then worked by his side, playing the organ and piano and directing choirs in churches he pastored. After his 1967 death she taught fifth grade and music in Fremont until her retirement. She had by then moved to the edge of Manistee National Forest, expressing her fierce independence and love of nature. She was the organist for Fremont United Methodist Church and remained active in her community and local government.
Edith relocated to Zeeland in 2002 to be closer to family. She found a new church home at Second Reformed, where she served as an elder and literacy volunteer. She continued her life-long loves of reading, especially history; knitting, sewing, and other needlework; and gardening, bird-watching, and observing nature. She followed politics closely, saving the Time magazine announcing President Obama's historic election with her library of books on Lincoln.
After her death on September 18, in Holland, Edith's spirit is carried forward by her children, Ruth, Peter, and Lois; their partners, Tom Tamlyn, Kay Gouwens, and Chris Wiers; her grandchildren, Dmitri Brown, Emily Powers Souza, Paxton Wiers, Avril Wiers, and Lillian Maassen and their partners, Gillian Ferguson, Peter Souza, Juliette Brinks, and Bryan Lacy; and her great-grandchildren, Eleanor, June, Hazel, and Bennett.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Edith's honor can be made to Nature Conservancy, the American Civil Liberties Union , or Second Reformed Church of Zeeland.
Leona Posthuma, 92, of Waupun, passed away Tuesday, January 24, 2023 at her home with
family by her side.
Leona was born October 14, 1930 in Sheboygan, WI the daughter of Rev. Herman and
Jannetta Kleinjan Maassen.
The family moved to Friesland where Herman was a pastor.
Leona graduated from Randolph High School in 1948.
She attended County Normal School in Columbus where she received a teaching degree.
She taught at a country school near Portage for two years.
On December 27, 1951 she married Clarence J. "Cliff" Posthuma in Friesland. They resided in Madison for three years where Cliff was serving with the U.S. Air Force at Truax Field, then resided in the Friesland Area for 15 years before moving to Annville, Kentucky where they served as missionaries at Annville Institute. In 1969 they moved to Waupun and Leona was employed at Fox Lake Correctional Institution as a secretary for 20 years from which she retired.
Leona was a member of Trinity Reformed Church where she was active in its choir and other aspects of church life. She enjoyed singing and has sung with Tri-Tones Trio, quartets and as a soloist. She had a love for music and enjoyed reading. Leona was always willing to help her family and others.
Leona is survived by her husband, Clarence J. "Cliff" Posthuma of 71 years; two children: Debra (Gordon) Kamphuis and Robert Posthuma; Five grandchildren: Jeremy Kamphuis, Dustin (Jennifer) Kamphuis, Dr. Rebecca (Austin) Batalden, Benjamin Posthuma, and Jason (Lorraine) Posthuma; eight great-grandchildren: Carter (Fiance Ella), Hunter, Cody, Andreas, Victoria, Jackson, Annalise, and Levi.
Leona was preceded in death by her parents; son, Daniel; two brothers, John Maassen and Pierce Maassen, sisters: Hermina Maassen and Trudy Vander Haar; and sister-in-law, Edith Maassen.
Funeral services for Leona Posthuma will be held Saturday, January 28, 2023 at 11 a.m. at Trinity Reformed Church in Waupun with Pastor Laura Wessels officiating. Burial will follow at Forest Mound Cemetery in Waupun. Friends and relatives may call on the family on Saturday at the church from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service.
A special thank you to Emily, Clarissa, and Anna at SSM Hospice Hope for the wonderful care given to Leona.