Christina M. Vander Esch

HAWARDEN, IOWA ~ Christina M. Vander Esch, 90, of Hawarden, passed away on Monday, August 1, 2022 at Hawarden Regional Healthcare Hospital.

   Funeral Service will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, August 5, 2022 at Lebanon Christian Reformed Church rural Sioux Center, Iowa with Pastor Bob Drenten officiating. Burial will follow at Lebanon Cemetery. Visitation with the family present will be from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Thursday at Porter Funeral Home in Hawarden. 

Christina (Schenk) Vander Esch was born at home on May 8, 1932 to Henry and Helen Schenk. She grew up near Sioux Center, Iowa and attended Carmel Reformed Church where she was baptized and made her public profession of faith at the age of 16. She graduated from Sioux Center Public School and attended Northwestern Academy for one year obtaining her 3-year country school teaching certificate. She taught grades 1-8 for two years at a one-room schoolhouse, Plato No. 8, and grades 5-8 for one year at Lebanon Christian School.

   On April 27, 1951 she married Severt Vander Esch in Carmel Church before God, family, and friends. They were married for nearly 68 years fulfilling their wedding vows-to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do they part. With her husband and family, Christina attended Lebanon CRC. Out of her love for the Lord, and His word she raised her children and served in Christian leadership for Semper Fidelis (Always Faithful), Ora Et Labora (Pray and Work) Society, Sunday school, and many other community needs. Christina was skilled at and loved to cook, garden, sew, quilt, and crochet. Her delicious meals were enjoyed by her family, friends, Central Café customers, and by the hunters of her son and daughter-in-law’s outfitting business in Idaho. Christina worked faithfully and diligently alongside her family on three different farms NE of Hawarden.

   She spent her remaining days at Oakhill Assisted Living center where she enjoyed reading books, watching/listening to sporting events and visiting with her family and church community. And now thanks to her Savior Jesus Christ, she resides “by the sea of crystal glass, in a mansion on a hill” in her heavenly home for a glorious eternity. (Rev. 4:6; John 14:2).

   Surviving family:

     Children: Arlys (Craig) Christians, Cedar Rapids, IA, Leon (Shelly), Watertown, SD, Ivan (Lujean), Miles City, MT, Darwin (Sandy), Riggins, ID, Doug (Elizabeth), Poulsbo, WA, and Mary Jane (Bart) Geers, Hudsonville, MI

     Grandchildren: Elliott (Arlys), Misty and Tory (Leon), Brennan, Colton, Kali, Sevina, and Shilo (Ivan), Jason, Shannon, Christon, Morgon, and Leighton (Darwin), Dylan and Caleb (Doug), Carly, Sara, and Grace (Mary Jane)

     Great-grandchildren: Trinity and Zander (Misty), Taveon, Landen, Teigen, Layton, Tallin, and Locton (Colton), Kapri, Kya, Joseph, Kynsli, Jeriko, and Jagg (Kali), Clara, Gavin, Madison, Nolan, and Tayson (Sevina), Preston and Ezra (Shilo), Faith (Shannon), Gunner and Tanner (Christon), Nash (Carly)

     Siblings and their spouses: Beverly Berquist and Kathy Schenk

   Family preceding Christina in death:

     Parents: Henry and Helen Schenk

     Husband: Severt Vander Esch

     Daughter-in-law: Lisa Vander Esch

     Grandson: Teigen Vander Esch

     Great-grandchildren: Selah Leslie and Rae Vander Esch

     Siblings and their spouses: Dennis Schenk, Nestor Schenk, and David Berquist