Dora Rus January 7, 1916 - January 10, 2005

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Dora Rus

Dora Rus, the fourth of eight children born to Arie and Hendrikje Menninga De Ronde, was born January 7, 1916, near Galesburg, Iowa. She attended the Rose Hill School in Jasper County where she completed the eighth grade. She was baptized in the Galesburg Christian Reformed Church where the family attended. The De Ronde's later transferred to the First Christian Reformed Church in Pella where she made profession of faith.

On December 8, 1937, Dora was united in marriage with Peter D. Rus at the First Christian Reformed Church parsonage in Pella. To this union two children were born: Kenneth Wayne and Janice Faye.

Pete and Dora farmed near Otley until they moved to Pella in 1969. Dora worked at the Pella Hospital for fifteen years and retired in 1981. She and Pete were members of the Covenant Reformed Church in Pella.

Dora enjoyed cooking, baking, reading, babysitting, crocheting blankets and helping her grandchildren.

She is survived by her husband of sixty-seven years; her son-in-law, Duane Van Maanen; five grandchildren, Darla and Dave Stibral of Tabor, South Dakota, Deb and Dale Hessing of Eddyville, Dave and Beth Van Maanen of Pella, Darcy and Greg Horstman of Pella, Danece and Lonnie De Zwarte of Pella; eighteen great-grandchildren, Daniel and Kimberly Stibral, Tricia, Sarah, Michael and Daniel Hessing, Matthew, Mark, Jordan, and Joel Van Maanen, Krista, Jenna, Andrea, and Rebekah Horstman, Bryce, Lance, Laura, and Ross De Zwarte; her brother and his wife, Bob and Dot De Ronde; and her sister and her husband, Jennie and Harold Ver Meer all of Pella.

She was preceded in death by her mother, who died at the age of thirty-nine; her father, a few years later; her two children, Kenneth Rus and Janice Van Maanen; four brothers, Jake, Nick, Neil, and John De Ronde; and one sister Johanna Van Heukelom.