Madeline West

Madeline Janet West was born January 4, 1925, to Henry and Cornelia (Hiemstra) Vriezelaar, on Locustdale Farm, Otley, Iowa.  She went to be with the Savior she loved and served on Wednesday, September 20, 2017, at Comfort House in Pella.

Madeline went to Summit Country School and graduated from Monroe High School in 1942. She went on to Iowa State Teacher’s College where she graduated in 1946, and later earned her bachelor’s degree from Drake University in 1970.

Madeline met Loren West at Central Park Café in Pella. Loren was so taken that he regularly sent cherry pie to her at school. Madeline and Loren were married on August 1, 1948, at Monroe Baptist Church in Monroe, Iowa. 

Psalm 104: 33-34 was precious to her, "I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord." Madeline helped start three Evangelical Free Churches:  Calvary Bible Church in Boulder, Colorado, Eastside Evangelical Free Church in Des Moines, Iowa and Liberty Evangelical Free Church in Pella. She was active in all of these churches where she started libraries, was a Sunday school superintendent, Sunday school teacher, girls club teacher, deaconess, and was active in many women’s ministries. She was active in Brother's Refuge and Youth for Christ. She often extended hospitality to missionaries in her home. She was a strong prayer warrior and enjoyed reading the Bible with others.

Madeline taught school for 25 years including:  Prairie Creek Twp country school in Prairie City, Webster Elementary in Pella, North Broadway Center in Boulder, Colorado, Emerson Hough in Newton, Iowa, and Pleasant Hill Elementary in Des Moines.

Madeline had many talents: she was a master pie baker, made jean quilts for each of her grandchildren, and made teddy bears.  She loved gardening, especially hostas and lilies.  Some of her other hobbies were collecting antiques, making ceramics, and woodworking.  Madeline also taught memory writing at Fair Haven.  

Madeline was a loving mother and grandmother and leaves a legacy of living faith for her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Those left to cherish her memory include her family:

Laura and James Anderson, Yuba City, California

     Layne Anderson, Yuba City, California

     Nick and Sarah Anderson, Olivehurst, California

          Phinehas, Caleb, Thaddeus, Zane

      Megan Noelle Anderson, Stone Mountain, Georgia

      Katrina Anderson, Sacramento, California

      Marius Anderson, U.S. N., Lemoore, California

Mary and Daniel Lundgren, Otley, Iowa

     Matthew Weston and Rebecca Lundgren, White Rock, BC

          Charity, Isaiah, Sadie, Abraham, Clara Madeline

     Andrew and Lacy Lundgren, Newton, Iowa

            Isaac, Emily, Oliver

Madeline is also survived by her siblings:  Velma Rice of Newton, Iowa, Mary Schendel of Marshalltown, Iowa, Coralee and Bill Woody of Phoenix, Arizona, and her sister-in-law Twila Vriezelaar of Monroe, Iowa.

Those who went before and were there to welcome her to heaven include her husband Loren, and her brothers: Arthur Vriezelaar and John Vriezelaar. 

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