Funeral services for Elsie Vander Stoep, 81, of Hollandale will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Hollandale Christian Reformed Church. The Rev. Wendell Davelaar will officiate. Interment will be at Hollandale Cemetery. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the church on Monday. Online condolences are welcome at www.bayviewfuneral.com.

Elsie died peacefully Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016, at Thorne Crest Senior Living Community in Albert Lea from complications due to Alzheimer’s with family at her side. She is now on her greatest adventure ever.

Elsie Vander Stoep was born Feb. 14, 1935, to Edward and Lucy (DeRaad) Wynia in Hollandale. She attended schools in Hollandale and Albert Lea, graduating from Albert Lea High School. She was united in marriage to John Vander Stoep on Aug. 24, 1955. She lived in the Hollandale and Geneva areas all her life.

She was a member of Hollandale Christian Reformed Church. Her faith and love in God and her savior Jesus Christ was always a source of strength and comfort to her. Elsie had a compassionate and generous nature, which her family and friends where often recipients. Elsie and John loved to travel in their motorhome. They traveled all around the U.S. and Canada, including Alaska and Grand Rapids, Manitoba. Traveling also took them to Mexico and Hawaii. Elsie was an avid fisher-woman and hunter and was always at John’s side through every adventure.

Elsie is survived by her husband, John; daughter, Gala (Stuart) Kubat; son, Andrew (Karen) Vander Stoep; daughter, Lyn (Ted) Dahl; and son of her heart, “Mitch” Arnold (Virginia) DeBoer; eight grandchildren, Stacy (Nathan) Tempel, Nicole (Mark) Calderon, Erik Seath, Alison (Matt) Maas, Candy (Nathan) Ruch, Jeremiah (Michelle) Underland, Adam Vander Stoep and Joshua (Mindy) Huisenga; 23 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. Also surviving are two sisters, Margaret (Arlo) Rugstad and Laura (Hank) Brouwers; brother-in- law, Joe Groeneweg; two sisters-in- law, Marian Slings and Carolyn (Glen) Ruter; and many nieces and nephews.

Elsie was preceded in death by her parents; father- and mother-in-law Edward and Gertie (Koldenhoven) Vander Stoep; sister, Dorothy Groeneweg; brothers-in- law Andrew Vander Stoep and Hubert Slings; and great-greatgranddaughter in infancy, Kiara Jean Calderon.

Her family says thank you to Thorne Crest and hospice staff for such wonderful care.