1943
Martha
2014
Martha Graves
January 20, 1943 — January 7, 2014
Martha Graves, 70, of Dike, passed away on Tuesday, January 7, 2014, at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo, Iowa. A funeral service will be held on Friday, January 10, 2014, 1:30 p.m. at the Orchard Hill Church at Lincoln Center, rural Grundy Center. Burial will follow at Lincoln Center Cemetery. A visitation will be held on Thursday, January 9, 2014, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Engelkes-Abels Funeral Home in Dike. Memorials may be directed to the family.
Martha was born January 20, 1943, in 'S Gravenzande, Netherlands, the daughter of Marinus and Tine (DeBruin) DenHarder. Martha was raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan, attended Kalamazoo schools and graduated from Kalamazoo Christian High School. After graduating from high school, Martha attended the Reformed Bible Institute. Martha was united in marriage to Wayne Edwin Graves on May 10, 1963 at the Lincoln Center Christian Reformed Church in rural Grundy Center. After their marriage, they lived on a farm in rural Dike from 1963 to 1992. In 1992 they moved to their current home in Dike. She worked for Oster Communications and Professional Farmers of America before retiring on December 31, 2007. Martha was a member of Orchard Hill Church at Lincoln Center where she was active in the Ladies Fellowship and Dorcas. She also taught Bible School, Sunday School and Catechism for many years. Martha loved to spend time with her family and friends - especially her grandchildren. Camping and biking with Wayne, usually with several grandchildren in tow, was one of her favorite past-times, along with scrapbooking, photography, and making handmade cards. Martha also had a passion for baking. Everyone who visited her home or Lincoln Center enjoyed her cookies and bars. Martha was always available to listen to and help friends and neighbors. Martha touched a lot of lives.
She is survived by her husband; Wayne of Dike; children: Karen Marks and her husband John of Dike, Ken Graves and wife Tami of Colorado Springs, CO, Cheryl Ringler of Manteno, Il, Diane Eisenga and husband Bryan of McBain, MI, Russ Graves and his wife Mollie of Dike, Mark Graves and his wife Missy of Harris, IA; 25 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild; brother Marinus DenHarder of Otsego, MI, and sister Nellie Balkema of Schoolcraft, MI.
She is preceded in death by her parents and brother, Neil DenHarder.
Martha was born January 20, 1943, in 'S Gravenzande, Netherlands, the daughter of Marinus and Tine (DeBruin) DenHarder. Martha was raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan, attended Kalamazoo schools and graduated from Kalamazoo Christian High School. After graduating from high school, Martha attended the Reformed Bible Institute. Martha was united in marriage to Wayne Edwin Graves on May 10, 1963 at the Lincoln Center Christian Reformed Church in rural Grundy Center. After their marriage, they lived on a farm in rural Dike from 1963 to 1992. In 1992 they moved to their current home in Dike. She worked for Oster Communications and Professional Farmers of America before retiring on December 31, 2007. Martha was a member of Orchard Hill Church at Lincoln Center where she was active in the Ladies Fellowship and Dorcas. She also taught Bible School, Sunday School and Catechism for many years. Martha loved to spend time with her family and friends - especially her grandchildren. Camping and biking with Wayne, usually with several grandchildren in tow, was one of her favorite past-times, along with scrapbooking, photography, and making handmade cards. Martha also had a passion for baking. Everyone who visited her home or Lincoln Center enjoyed her cookies and bars. Martha was always available to listen to and help friends and neighbors. Martha touched a lot of lives.
She is survived by her husband; Wayne of Dike; children: Karen Marks and her husband John of Dike, Ken Graves and wife Tami of Colorado Springs, CO, Cheryl Ringler of Manteno, Il, Diane Eisenga and husband Bryan of McBain, MI, Russ Graves and his wife Mollie of Dike, Mark Graves and his wife Missy of Harris, IA; 25 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild; brother Marinus DenHarder of Otsego, MI, and sister Nellie Balkema of Schoolcraft, MI.
She is preceded in death by her parents and brother, Neil DenHarder.
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