Evelyn Ruth Vander Galien

Evelyn Ruth Vander Galien, 85, of Randolph, passed away on October 10th, 2013 at her home in Randolph following a long illness.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 14, 2013, at Frieden’s Ev.Lutheran Church, 327 Jones Drive, Randolph, with Rev. Daniel Schumann. Burial will follow in the Randolph Cemetery.

Evelyn’s family will receive relatives and friends on Sun. Oct 13, 2013 from 5 – 7 p.m. at Randolph Community Funeral Home, 208 S High Street, Randolph, and on Monday at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of services.

Memorial fund has been established for Hillside Hospice, Beaver Dam and Frieden’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Randolph.

Evelyn was born on January 16, 1928 at the family home in Oconomowoc, WI to Reinhold and Esther (Bobholz) Christian. She was baptized into the Christian faith on January 17, 1928 by Pastor Haase of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church of Oconomowoc. She and her family soon moved to the rural Randolph area where she attended the Proscarin elementary school. Evelyn was confirmed in the Lutheran faith on April 6, 1941 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Friesland. She attended Cambria High School for three years before transferring to Randolph High School for her senior year which she graduated from in 1945. Following her formal education, she worked at Phoenix Hosiery for three years, Dr. Toutant (DDS) for three years, and Rockwell in Randolph for three years. She married Meindert (Mike) C. Vander Galien at Trinity Lutheran Church in Friesland on October 15, 1955. They lived in Randolph until 1964 when they moved to her parents farm northeast of Randolph and lived on the farm until 1994. She and her husband have lived in Randolph since that time.

Evelyn was a faithful member of Friedens Lutheran Church in Randolph and was a former member of the choir, a Sunday school teacher, Bible class and the Frieden’s Ladies Aid. She spent most of her early married life as a dedicated mother and farm wife. She raised laying hens and washed and graded who knows how many eggs for their egg route. She also had extensive gardens and enjoyed canning and freezing the produce as well as preparing it fresh. Her hobbies included working on the family genealogy, quilting, picking hickory nuts, refunding, baking, crocheting, and playing various card games. In her “retirement” years she enjoyed going out west with her husband to visit her children and grandchildren who had moved out that way.

Evelyn is survived by her husband, Mike, of Randolph; their four children: Elaine Marshall of Waterloo (and her special friend) Steve Posthuma of Waupun; Carl (Diane) Vander Galien of Friesland; Paul (Diane) Vander Galien of Lowell; and Cheryl Nelson of Randolph. She is also survived by their grandchildren: Michelle Marshall, Michael Marshall, Sheila (Ray) Beal, Shaun Marshall, and Heather Marshall; Lesley (Jon) Gage, Brian, Alyssa, and Katie Vander Galien; Elizabeth (Paul) Becker, David (Sarah)Vander Galien , and Aaron Vander Galien; Jennifer (Josh) Maddox, Stephen (Melissa) Nelson, James (Gail) Nelson, Laura (Kyle) Venechuk, and Patrick Nelson. She is also survived by her step grandchildren: Tim (Renieva) Nelson and Robert (Liz) Nelson. Further survivors are 13 great grandchildren and eight step great grandchildren; one great great granddaughter and one step great great granddaughter. Evelyn is also survived by her brother Ronald (Doris) Christian of Randolph and Geraldine Dearborn of Juneau as well as her brother and sister-in-laws, Ann (George) Dykstra of Randolph, Flora (Ed) Homan of Waupun, Evelyn (Lawrence) Beekman of Randolph, and Stuart (Charlene) Vander Galien of Randolph as well as numerous nephews, nieces, and other relatives and friends.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents, a brother in infancy, her brother Merwin Christian and his wife Arlene, sister-in-law Jeannette and her husband Gerhardt DeBoer, as well as her son-in-laws Dean Marshall and Mark Nelson.

Randolph Community Funeral Home is serving the family.