Hilda(Vander Molen)Groenendyk was the daughter of Lewis and Katie(Nieuwsma)Vander Molen. She was born on April 23, 1927, in Mahaska County near Taintor, Iowa. Hilda attended the Peoria Christian School in Peoria, Iowa and graduated from Pella Christian High School at Pella, Iowa in 1945. following graduation she worked as a secretery at Pella Implement and as a nurse's aide at the Mercy Hospital in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Hilda and Edward Harold Groenendyk were introduced to each other by a member of her family, Rachel Vander Molen, and they never sought any other companionship. Ed was skeptical whether Hilda's father, Lewis Vander Molen, approved of their relationship but on March 23, 1948, they were happily united in marriage at the home of her parens at 1110 Monroe Street in Pella. To this union two sons were born: Phillip Leon and Kevin Gene. Following their marriage Hilda and Ed farmed south of Tracy, Iowa where Hilda was a devoted homemaker. They later moved to 210 Lawson Street in Tracy where they lived for 17 years. During this time Hilda managed the Tracy Community Store. In 1995 Hilda and Ed moved into Pella where they made their home at 1358 Main Street. Hilda cleaned houses with her sister, Cathryn Van Ee, worked in the kitchen at Fair Haven and also cleaned at the Second Reformed Church. Being active and working hard never idled Hilda. She and Ed had been longtime, active and faithful members of the Tracy Christian Reformed Church where they attended together until the past two Sundays. Hilda was involved with the Bible League for decades and had been affiliated with the Marion County Community Action Center in Knoxville, Iowa. On Tuesday afternoon, March 29, 2011, she passed away peacefully at her home in Pella at the age of 83 years. Helda and Ed were privileged to have just observed their 63rd wedding anniversary. They enjoyed traveling and camping together and family was always the focal point of her life. Hilda is survived by her husband, Ed and their two sons and their wives, 6 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren: Phil and Donna(Engelhoven)Groenendyk of Pella, Iowa, Ryan and Nicole(Anderson)Groenendyk, Ally, Easton, Ross and Jessica(De Nooy)Groenendyk; Kevin and Mary(Nash)Groenendyk of Tracy, Iowa, Michael Groenendyk, Hailey, Zade, Crystal Groenendyk, Joss, Matthew and Stephanie(Pearson)Groenendyk, Sydney, Reese and Colton. Hilda leaves three sisters and one brother and their spouses of her original family. They are Rachel and Lester Fynaardt of Oskaloosa, Iowa, Cathryn(Ed)Van Ee, Lawrence and Mary Ann Vander Molen of Pella, Pauline and Donald De Cook of Indianola, Iowa; and the following two sisters-in-law: Alida(Bernie)Vander Molen and Henrietta(Paul)Vander Hart both of Pella. Ed's family includes his sister, Dorothy and her husband, Jim McDonough of Oskaloosa, his brother, Maurice Groenendyk and his brother-in-law, Harold Van Maanen and his wife, Marie, of Pella. Helda was preceded in death by her parents, Lewis and Katie Vander Molen; her parents-in-law, Peter and Jennie(Hoksbergen)Groenendyk; two sisters and their husbands: Greda and Paul Vander Hart, Anna and Marion Hol; her brother, Bernard Vander Molen; a brother-in-law, Edward Van Ee; and two sisters-in-law: Luella(Groenendyk)Van Maanen and Helen(Maurice)Groenendyk. Hilda baked the best Dutch letters and enjoyed raising flowers.

Visitation begins Friday morning, at Van Dyk-Duven Funeral Home with the family present from 4-7 pm. Funeral Service at 10:30 am Saturday, April 2, 2011, at Tracy Christian Reformed Church in Tracy, Iowa. Interment: Sandriddge Cemetery near Tracy, Iowa.

Memorials may be given for the Hydrocephalic Foundation, Hospice of Pella in Pella, IA, or the Tracy Christian Reformed Church in Tracy, IA.