Betty Ann Stouwie, born March 29, 1935, in Oskaloosa, Iowa, was the 8th child of 11 born to Cecil and Bertha (Ryken) Stouwie. Betty and her siblings went to a number of different grade schools. She and her sister, Leona, cleaned houses for two years.  She graduated from Oskaloosa High School in 1952. Betty met Marvin Bruxvoort at the Oskaloosa Bowling Alley, and they were married at Central Reformed Church in Oskaloosa on July 2, 1952. Together, they celebrated a remarkable 72 years of marriage.

Marv and Betty raised their five children on a farm east of Pella. They planted and harvested a large garden of fruits and vegetables which Betty would freeze and can, but a lot of strawberries and peas made it into the mouths of the kids when they were supposed to be cleaning them. Clothes could always be seen hanging on the clothes lines after being washed, pushed through the wringer into baskets and carried out of the basement to be hung.

Betty and Marvin were longtime members of Calvary Christian Reformed Church, where Betty actively served her church community. She taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. She worked in the nursery, participated in the Mission Circle, and assisted with the annual Widows Supper. Betty also contributed to the Ushering, Fellowship, and Nursery Committees. Fellow Calvary Church members generously and overwhelmingly supported them in May of 1967 when their house burned completely to the ground.  By the end of the following day, they were moved to another house, and it was filled with furniture, clothes, pots, pans, dishes, and food.  What a blessing!  In addition to church roles, Betty was a longtime member of the Pella Christian Grade School Mothers Club while her five children attended elementary school and enjoyed volunteering many years at the Information Windmill in Central Park in Pella.

Those in the mission field were especially dear to Betty's heart.  It began when at seven years of age she was in the hospital to have her appendix out, and she shared a room with a woman who had to go into an iron lung daily.  The nurse who attended both was on furlough from the mission field and shared many wonderful stories of converting people to Jesus Christ.  Though Betty realized she would not have the opportunity to go to college and train to become a missionary, it kindled a fire in her heart to give to the support of many missionaries over the years.

Betty delighted in her husband, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and spending time with them.  She loved Tulip Time, Cedar Falls Bible Conference, the Iowa State Fair, and making and giving away banana bread.  But her first love was for Jesus Christ, and she depended upon and trusted Him fully. Psalm 23 was her favorite passage, but it must be the KJV!  Her family all knew, when talking about future plans, Betty would always add, "the Lord willing."

As Betty's health declined, Marvin patiently and lovingly cared for her at home until additional help was needed, and she entered the Pella Hospice Comfort House, from where she entered glory on February 20, 2025, at the age of 89 years.

Betty is survived by her husband, Marvin, and their 5 children and their families:

Carol (Tim-deceased) Bruxvoort - Waverly, IA

Trish (Richard) Bruxvoort Colligan

Sam Bruxvoort Colligan

Rachel (Andrew) Houts

Nate and Lexi Houts

Kaity Houts

Izzy Houts

Julie Richmond (Ryan Varney)

Gabe Richmond

Jeff (Leia) Bruxvoort

Nile Bruxvoort

Aubren Bruxvoort

John (Lori-deceased) Bruxvoort - Pella, IA

Lisa (Simon) Vos

Lorynn Beatty-deceased

Hope Vos

Silis Vos

Kari Bruxvoort

Lyrica Dursky

Beth (Darrell-deceased) Dieleman - Pella, IA

Gregg & Joan Bruxvoort - Tucson, AZ

Eric & Trish Bruxvoort - Bondurant, IA

Kathryn & Matthew Deugan

Lucas Deugan

Kristine (Derek) Bittick

Evelyn Bittick

Kimberly Bruxvoort (Derek McCann)

Gavin Darr

Aiden Darr

Elizabeth Darr

Emma McCann

Kai Bruxvoort

Betty is survived by two sisters, Elner Spoelstra of Oskaloosa and Leona Veldhuizen of Leighton and by Marvin's siblings: Jerry Bruxvoort, Mary Ann Vander Molen, Joyce Cline, Barbara Bruxvoort, and sister-in-law Reuvena Bruxvoort, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Those preceding Betty in death were: parents - Cecil & Bertha Stouwie and parents-in-law Guy and Tena Bruxvoort.  siblings:  Raymond Stouwie, Gerrit (Faye) Stouwie, Jane (Raymond) De Geest, Helen (Elmer) Klein, Bernice (Robert) Hoyt, Marjorie (Robert) Leftwich, Wilma (Carl) Vander Wal, Cecil Jr. (Carolyn) Stouwie, and in-laws: Cornelius Spoelstra and Wayne Veldhuizen. Marvin's siblings who preceded in death were: Sylvia Bruxvoort, Dorothy Bruxvoort, Doris (John) Hessing, Bernard (Dora) Bruxvoort, Stanley Bruxvoort, and in-laws:  Shirley Bruxvoort, Lawrence A Vander Molen and Darrell Cline.

A special thank you to all the Pella Hospice staff who helped care for Betty, first at home and later at the Comfort House.  They are truly an amazing and caring group of people.

Hospice of Pella - Day of Care
Pella IA

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