Genella Mae Van Heukelom was born on March 28, 1911, near Leighton, Iowa. She was the first of five children that were born to Catherines and Minnie De Bruin Van Heukelom. Genella received a grade school education at the Pleasant Ridge Country Grade School near Pella, Iowa.
On March 4, 1936, she was united in marriage with Wilbur Engbers, the son of Gerrit and Jennie Vander Linden Engbers, at the Ebenezer Reformed Church in Leighton, Iowa. To this union three daughters were born: Evelyn Arlene, Eileen Joyce and Donna Irene. Genella and Wilbur farmed and lived on different farms within the same vicinity in Mahaska County, Iowa until moving into Pella in 1977. During all these years Genella was a dedicated homemaker who raised a big flower and vegetable garden and did a lot of canning and baking bread and cookies. On March 18, 1989, Wilbur passed away at the age of 78 years.
Following his death Genella moved into the Westview Apartments in 1990 and became a resident at Hilltop Manor South in 2000.Genella kept active babysitting her grandchildren and making afgans for children and grandchildren and quilts for missions. Genella moved from Hilltop Manor North to the Long Term Care Unit at the Pella Regional Health Center in December of 2007 where she passed away there on Sunday evening, April 6, 2008. She had just observed her 97th birthday nine days previously.
Those who will cherish her memory are three daughters and their husbands, 11 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson. They and their families are: Evelyn and Donald Rozendaal of Pella, Iowa;Eileen and Roger Van Kooten of Pella, Iowa; Donna and Henry Van Rheenen of Pella, Iowa.
Of her original family Genella leaves the following siblings: a brother, Ernest Van Heukelom and his wife, Evelyn of Leighton, Iowa; a sister, Esther (Rev. Ralph) Van Rheenen of Pella; and a sister-in-law, Helen (Rev. Clarence) Van Heukelom of Orange City, Iowa.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Wilbur G. Engbers; a grandson, Jason Lee Van Kooten who died infancy; her parents: Rene and Minnie Van Heukelom; her parents-in-law: Gerrit and Jennie Engbers; her sister, Josephine and her husband, Tony De Jong; her brother, Rev. Clarence Van Heukelom; her brother-in-law, Rev. Ralph Van Rheenen; and a sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Clara (Engbers) and Roy De Bruin.
Genella had been active with a 4-H Club for nearly 20 years. She had been a faithful member of the First Christian Reformed Church in Pella for over 60 years where she had been an active member of the Helping Hand Society. Her family gives thanks to God for their Christian, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother and sister; and will remember her saying "we do not know what our future holds but we know who holds our future".
For those desiring memorials may be given for the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee or the Pella Christian Schools in Pella, Iowa
Van Dyk - Duven Funeral Home