MOSS, EUGENE AND MARLA (VAN ROEKEL)
Eugene Merle Moss, born May 6, 1932 on a farm near Carmel. The middle child of Marion and Henrietta Moss. He later moved to a farm near Hull, but spent most of his youth on. a farm near Middleburg.
Marla Evonne Van Roekel, born August 2, 1935. The oldest child of Garret and Johanna Van Roekel. Marla was born and raised on a farm eight miles west of Sioux Center.
Eugene (Gene) graduated from Newkirk High School and completed 1 1/2 years of college.
Marla graduated from Sioux Center Community High School. They were married August, 19, 1953. After Gene's two years in the US Army they settled in Sioux Center. Gene's first place of employment was the Co-op Gas and Oil and Marla was employed at Schalekamp's Drug Store. Shortly, Gene began a career in sales and management. He was the founder and owner of Siouxland Vet Supply ,which was later sold to local veterinarians.
Lisa Joy Moss, born June 20, 1957. Lisa went to Morningside College and became an R.N., working at St. Luke's, Sioux City. She married Robert Burkhardt of Fargo, North Dakota, August 4, 1979. They presently live in Hastings, Nebraska where Bob is the manager of Herbergers Department Store. They are the parents of Joseph Ryan, born June 11, 1982 and Andrew Logan, born June 7, 1988.
Todd Alan Moss, born January 14, 1961. Todd graduated from IA State University and is an architect. Todd married Rhonda Cleveringa from Sioux Center, on April 24, 1984. They reside in Sioux City, IA. They are parents of twin boys, Corey Alexander and Micah Tyler, born February 3, 1988.
Adam Ryan, an adopted son of Bob and Lisa was born April 9, 1982 and died April 17, 1982 in an Omaha Hospital.
The Eugene Moss Family. Front L-R: Marla (Van Rockel) Moss, Corey Moss, Micah Moss,
Andrew Burkhardt, Eugene Moss. Middle row L-R: Rhonda (Mrs. Todd Moss), Joseph Burk-
hardt, Lisa (Mrs. Robert Burkhardt). Back row L-R: Todd Moss, Robert Burkhardt.
Vacations were highlights in this family. They have been in a total of 45 states. It gave them a wonderful opportunity to spend quality time with one another. The summer when Lisa was thirteen and Todd was nine a decision was made to take a working vacation to Saugerties, New York, where Gene and Marla would be spiritual counselors, cooks, and clean-up crews for kids farm the Inner City, New York. As an official teenager this was hardly the way Lisa would want to spend her vacation, as she had dreams of a fun time at Sandy Hollow, church camp and maybe to Lemars Pizza Hut without mom and dad. Todd too had bigger dreams of summer baseball and fun with friends and the neighbors, but off we went for three weeks of volunteerism for the Reformed Church in America. For Lisa and Todd all that was required of them was to be themselves. Some of the things that remain in our memories are, that, it was our very first exposure to colored kids. Kids who had been exposed to drugs, broken homes, criminal records, scared faces as a result of gang fights, large families with several different fathers, and we were to be their friends and even sleep in the same room with them. How Grandma would fret if she knew this. Peggy never had touched a tree and loved to walk down to the Hudson River with us, lonely, and on a $500 dollar a day addiction. It truly was a summer where God opened all of our eyes. Todd and Lisa said it was a Summer where they had learned a lesson they would never forget. God had showed them how blessed we were to have a close family, a family that had rules and guidelines for behavior. The luxury of being raised in a community like ,Sioux Center, where the heart of most of our activities is centered around the church and school. Lastly the privilege they had to dream about future opportunities as their lives had not been scarred by drugs.
Snowstorms were also a time of great memories as not only could we stay home from school, but neighbors would gather for waffles and a time of a lot of game playing. One March we were celebrating Grandpa Van Roekels birthday and a snowstorm came while there. Playing Canasta was Grandma's favorite and Kings Corner was Grandpa's favorite and this was done that night, then of course the usual cake and ice cream and time to go home, when upon time to go home we realized none of us, all 11 of us would be going no where. Thus a two bedroom home meant we would sleep on the floor and in chairs. Grandpa Van Roekel was still on farm time and he was up at 5 a.m. checking everything out. Shortly the three men began to scoop and scoop and scoop and it was noon before we could finally go home. But it was fun to all be together for these many hours. Lots of games were played and grandmas cookies were gone.
Vacations made history one of our favorite studies. The vacation to Washington D.C. where we got a glimpse of President Johnson as he waved to the spectators as we were at the White House. This trip also helped us visualize in color what had previously happened regarding the death of John F. Kennedy that we had witnessed in Black and White on TV. As both Lisa and Todd are now out of the area they have related from time to time how grateful they have been for their heritage, for the community they grew up in and for the wonderful education they had gotten here in Sioux Center.
by Marla Moss
Marla Moss - Van Roekel
In Memoriam of Marla Moss
Marla Moss, 80, of Sioux Center, IA, died Saturday, November 7, 2015.
A visitation will be held on Wednesday, November 11, from 4-8PM, with the family present from 5-7PM at the Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center.
A funeral service will be held on Thursday, November 12, at 10:30AM at the First Reformed Church of Sioux Center with Rev. Travis Else officiating. Interment will follow the funeral service in Memory Gardens Cemetery of Sioux Center.
The Moss family prefers memorials to the First Reformed Church Library or Inspiration Hills Auxiliary.
Marla Moss passed away on November 7, 2015 after an 8 year struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Marla Van Roekel was born August 2, 1935 on a farm near Ireton, IA. Her parents were Garret and Johanna Van Roekel. She graduated from Sioux Center Community Schools. She married Eugene Moss on August 19, 1953. They had two children Lisa (Bob) Burkhardt of Lincoln, Nebraska and Todd (Rhonda) of Sioux City, IA. Eugene and Marla were married for over 60 years until his passing.
Marla was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She was active in her church serving as a Sunday school and Catechism teacher. She was a youth group sponsor, a church librarian, and a Bible study leader. She was President of the Inspiration Hills Auxiliary. She was also the President of Reformed Church Woman.
She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and a grandson, Adam Burkhardt. She is survived by her children, 5 grandsons; Joseph (Kim) Burkhardt, Andrew Burkhardt, Corey (Haley) Moss, Micah (Sarah) Moss, and Madison Moss, one great grandson, Isaiah Burkhardt, her sister Glenda Fedders (Marv) and brother Lyle Van Roekel (Diane).
In lieu of flowers, it was Marla’s wish to designate memorials to the Inspiration Hills Auxiliary or the First Reformed Church Library.