Andy Mouw, age 91, of Sibley, Iowa, passed away on Friday, October 31, 2014 at Royal Meadows Care Center in Sioux Center, Iowa.
Funeral Services will be Saturday, November 8, 2014 at 11:00 A.M. at the Christian Reformed Church in Sibley. Rev. Marvin Leese officiating. Graveside Services will be Saturday at 1:30 P.M. at East Lawn Cemetery in Sheldon. Visitation will be Friday, November 7, from 1:00 to 8:00 P.M. with the family present from 5:00 to 8:00 P.M. at the Andringa Funeral Home in Sibley.
Online Expressions of Sympathy can be sent to www.andringafuneralhome.com
The Andringa Funeral Home of Sibley in charge of arrangements for Andy Mouw.
Andrew Mouw was born on March 15, 1923 in Griswold, Iowa, to Clayton and Maude (Wilson) Green. He was named Jack Green by his birth parents. When he was an infant his mother died of tuberculosis and Andy was sent to live at Christian Children’s Home in Council Bluffs, Iowa. (Now called Children’s Square). At the age of 2 ½, Andy was adopted by Peter and Nellie (Van Dyke) Mouw of Hospers, Iowa. He lived his youth on a farm near Hospers from the age of 2 to 21. He attended grade school and 2 years of high school at Hospers. When he was 21, Andyenlisted in the United States Navy. He was united in marriage to Nelvina Edna Vellinga of Archer, Iowa on April 20, 1945 at the Christian Reformed Church in Sheldon, Iowa, while he was home on survivor’s leave from the Navy. He served in World War II, attained the rank of Seaman First Class and was honorably discharged. The story of Andy’s World War II experiences were written in a book researched by his wife, Nelvina, called, The Sinking of the USS Bismarck Sea CVE95-VC-86. Andy returned to the service for a couple of months before they moved to a farm 5 miles west of Sibley, where they farmed for 2 years before they moved to a farm 6 ½ miles northeast of Sibley, where they farmed for 16 years. Andy did custom combining, including the harvest brigade, and started his trucking business as an independent driver. They moved into Sibley, where Andy and Nelvina started Mouw Transportation and worked with Osceola County Coop Creamery, which later merged with AMPI. They lived in 2 rented homes before building their first home on the north edge of Sibley. They also lived in a home they built on Emerson Bay, Milford, Iowa and their final home on the golf course in Sibley. Nelvina passed away on April 30, 2010.Andy moved to Heartwood Heights in Sibley.
Andy was an active member of the Christian Reformed Church in Sibley, where he served as a deacon and elder. He served on the board for the Sibley Christian Grade School, Hull Western Christian High School and Hope Haven in Rock Valley, Iowa. Andy was an original founding member of the Iowa Better Trucking Bureau. A member of the Sibley Kiwanis, Rotary Club, the VFW and the American Legion in Sibley and most recently the American Legion in Hartley, Iowa. The most significant association he belonged to was the Survivors of the USS Bismarck Sea CVE-95 VC-86. He attended the yearly reunions held for the survivors of this ship which sunk in World War II.
Andy passed away on Friday, October 31, 2014 at Royal Meadows Care Center in Sioux Center, Iowa.
Those left to cherish his memories are his 6 children, 5 daughters and sons-in-law: Sharon and Gayle Zonnefeld of Berthoud, CO, Vicki and Arlan Dykstra of Sioux Center, IA, Debra and Steven Terrell of Harriman, TN, Connie and Lauren Runia of Manhattan, MT, Patty Draayer of Sioux Center, IA; one son: Andy Peter Mouw of Sheldon, IA; 11 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; one sister: Martha (Coates) Burns of Boliver, MO.
He was preceded in death by his wife: Nelvina; his adopted parents: Peter and Nellie Mouw; 2 infant grandchildren: Carol Lynn and Wayne Lee Dykstra; one son-in-law: Charles “Snooks” Bishop; his birth parents: Clayton and Maude Green; one sister: Anna Archer; 3 brothers: Fay Green, Ray Green and Morris Coates.
