Connie Groen

Rock Rapids, IA        Connie Groen age 89 of Rock Rapids, IA died Friday April 14, 2017 at Sanford Hospital in Rock Rapids, IA.        Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 18th at the First Reformed Church in Rock Rapids, IA with Rev. Dan Haggar, officiating. Burial will be in the Bethel Reformed Cemetery of rural Little Rock, IA.        Visitation will be Monday, April 17th from 2:00 - 8:00 p.m. with the family present from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the Jurrens Funeral Home of Rock Rapids.        Connie (Hoekert) Groen was born September 21, 1927, on a farm near Steen, MN the daughter of William and Minnie (Baker) Hoekert. She grew up in Steen where she attended country school. On March 18, 1953, she was united in marriage to Arthur Groen at her parent’s home in Steen, MN. To this union three children were born. Art and Connie lived in the Lester area when they were first married and later moved to Rock Rapids. Connie cleaned for several businesses in Rock Rapids for many years. When Art retired, Connie and Art started cleaning for Rich and Sue Roste at Roste Funeral Home in Rock Rapids for 16 years and another 4 years when the funeral home became Jurrens Funeral Homes until their second retirement in 2008. Her family remembers, Connie as a hard worker and a loving mother who always had a pan of brownies to share. She often shared her talents by giving beautiful afghans as gifts for the enjoyment of family and friends. Her kind and generous heart was always open for a visit. She loved her dear husband, Art, along with her children and grandchildren. It showed by how she would share with everyone, how proud she was of them in her conversations about her memories or times spent with them. Her pet dogs were loved deeply also-almost as much as she loved her family. She was a longtime member of the First Reformed Church in Rock Rapids. After Art died in 2011, she moved to assisted living in Sioux Falls, SD and recently she became a resident of Lyon Specialty Care in Rock Rapids. This past Friday morning April 14, 2017, Connie was transported to the Sanford Hospital in Rock Rapids where she died at the age of eighty-nine. She will be greatly missed.      Connie is survived by her daughter, Wylleen May of Holden, MO; Arlyn (Cathy) Groen of Sioux Falls, SD and Jon (Cindy) Groen of Sioux Falls, SD; seven grandchildren, Aaron Groen, MaCayn May, Tamara Forseth, Molly Strickler, Cody Groen, Josh Groen and Jesse Groen; ten great grandchildren and one sister, Jeanette Groenenboom of LeMars, IA.      She was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur; her parents, William and Minnie Hoekert; brother, Henry Hoekert; sister, Jesse Oliver and great grandson, Sean Allmendinger.