Gerdena Hop

Rock Rapids, IA        Gerdena Hop, age 91, formerly of Rock Rapids, IA died Sunday, January 8, 2017, at Crowell Memorial Home in Blair, NE.           Funeral service will be 10:30 AM, Saturday, January 21st at Christian Reformed Church of Rock Rapids, IA, with Rev. Steen officiating.        Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery in Rock Rapids.        Visitation will be Friday, January 20th from 4:00 to 8:00 PM, with family present from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Jurrens Funeral Home of Rock Rapids.      Gerdena Den Ouden (Hop) was born on October 11, 1925 in Sioux Center, Iowa, the daughter of Nys and Jannatje (Verkuyl) Den Ouden. Gerdena and her family lived in Sioux County until the age of three when her family moved to farm in the Edgerton, Minnesota area. She attended a country school for Grades 1-3 and then graduated 8th grade from the Edgerton Christian School. When her dad retired in 1948, she and her family moved to the town of Edgerton. On June 15, 1954, she was united in marriage to Jake Hop in Edgerton, Minnesota, and they made their home in Rock Rapids, Iowa where they were members of the Rock Rapids Christian Reformed Church(CRC). A year later Dennis Jay was born, and seven years later Jean Iris came into the world. Gerdena and Jake were the proud parents of these two. Gerdena was a homemaker but helped the family along financially by working a variety of jobs. She ironed clothes for people, sold Avon, cleaned houses, and worked in local restaurants.      In January of 1984, Jake and Gerdena moved to Bellflower, California where they both worked as janitors at the Rosewood CRC for nine years. In 1993, they moved back to Rock Rapids and they worked as janitors at the CRC. They relocated to Bellevue, Nebraska in November of 2001, and then moved to Waterford Assisted living in Omaha in January of 2003. After 49 ½ years of marriage, Gerdena said goodbye to Jake as he went to be with the Lord. She moved to Crowell Memorial Home in November of 2012, until she also peacefully went to be with her Savior on Sunday, January 8, 2017. During their time in Omaha, Jake and Gerdena were members of the Prairie Lane CRC.      Gerdena was a very social friendly woman, and she loved parties and celebrations. She was known to celebrate her own birthday over two weeks with sometimes up to four different parties. Gerdena enjoyed cleaning, writing letters and cards, and doing handiwork. Flowers were one of her favorite things and she kept many live green plants in her home. Jake and Gerdena enjoyed cooking, entertaining guests, playing card games, and fishing on family vacations. Gerdena simply loved people. If one were to spend any time with her, one would end up on her Christmas card list. Gerdena was well liked by the Crowell nursing home staff, and she participated in bingo and chapel, and attended all the various musical groups that visited the home. Gerdena was especially close to her children, grandchildren, brothers & sisters, brother& sisters-in-law, nieces, and nephews. She loved to spend time and visit with them. Her family brought her much joy, and she cherished all the notes and cards they sent throughout the years.      Gerdena loved her Lord and loved worshipping Him through songs. She always had tapes and CD’s playing throughout her day, and she loved attending church and going to musical concerts. She was often heard singing while she cleaned at church and at home.      Left to cherish her memories is her son, Denny (Colleen) Hop of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and his children Sarah (Ryan) Fernhout, and Allyson Hop, and his grandchildren Hazel and Easton Fernhout; her daughter, Jean (Mike) Madden of Omaha and their children; Teresa Basile, Kristin Madden, Becci (Caeden) Tinklenberg, and their granddaughter, Claire Basile, as well as many loving nieces and nephews.      She was preceded in death by her husband, Jake Hop, her parents, Nys and Jannetje Den Ouden, four sisters, Lena Prins, Jennie Den Ouden, Jeanette Vos, and Anne Marie Zylstra, along with five brothers, Ted, Nick, Henry, Bernie, and Cornie Den Ouden.   Memorials may be directed to Crowell Memorial Home in Blair, NE, Rock Rapids Christian Reformed Church or Prairie Lane Christian Reformed Church in Omaha.