Arthur Dirk Mulder, 83, of Grundy Center, passed away on Monday, December 5, 2011 at the Grundy County Memorial Hospital in Grundy Center. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 9th at the Stout Gospel Hall in Stout, Iowa. Burial will follow the luncheon at Rose Hill Cemetery in Grundy Center with military honors being conducted by the Grundy Center American Legion Post #349 and AMVETS 17. A visitation will be held on Thursday, December 8th from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Engelkes-Abels Funeral Home in Grundy Center. Memorials may be directed to the family.
Art was born on August 3, 1928 in Kesley, Iowa to his parents William and Minnie (Alberts) Mulder. He was raised on the family farm in Shell Rock and attended country school less than a mile away from his home. Art heard as a child the gospel of Jesus Christ who died on Calvary's Cross. Art trusted in that work knowing he was a sinner while attending gospel tent meetings through Leonard DeBuhr and George Gould. The verse "Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree." I Peter 2:24
Art was united in marriage to Darlene Mae Stickfort on September 8, 1950 at the Western Avenue Gospel Hall in Waterloo, Iowa. Shortly thereafter he was drafted into the United States Army and served his country as a frontline medic during the Korean War. Upon his honorable discharge from the Army, Art returned to Grundy Center and lived and worked Darlene's family farm for 54 years. There they welcomed three children into their family.
Art was in fellowship with the Christians at the Stout Gospel Hall for over 50 years. He was devoted to his family and loved farming.
Art is survived by his wife Darlene of Grundy Center; his children Curt Mulder of Grundy Center, Darla (Lyle) Dempster of Parkersburg and Craig (Kay) of Manchester; grandchildren, Holly (Eric) Hopkins, Jason (Kristy) Dempster, Jeremy Dempster, Hillary (Ryan) Aspenson, Heidi (Matt) Welcher, Cara (Luke) Roling and Ashley (Joel) Hayes; 14 great-grandchildren; sisters Berniece (Harlan) DeGroote of Parkersburg and Dee Meester of Waterloo. Art was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Ilene Shaw; a brother, Larry, in infancy and a great-granddaughter Gracie Hopkins.