Service Information Harold Eiten |
Visitation: Sunday, December 10, from 3 to 6 pm at Stroo Funeral Home, 1095 68th St. SE and on Monday, December 11, at Cutlerville East CRC, 501 68th St. SE from 10 - 11 am prior to the service beginning at 11 am or the Steamboat Rock Historical Society, 409 W. Market St., Steamboat Rock, IA 50672 |
Harold Boyd Eiten, 1/4/1931 - 12/1/2023 Harold Boyd Eiten was born on January 4, 1931, on a farm in Shiloh Township, Grundy County, Iowa, near the town of Wellsburg. He was the oldest child of Fred H. Eiten and Gertrude Eekhoff Eiten. He lived on a dairy farm, was raised in the Reformed faith at First Wellsburg Christian Reformed Church, and attended Grundy County country schools and Wellsburg High School. He attended Calvin College, graduating with a degree in teacher education in 1953. While a student at Calvin he went on a blind date with Julene Yonker, which was arranged by mutual friends. They were engaged to be married during his last year at Calvin. He was drafted into the army right after college, and served in the Army Medical Corps. He arranged a two-week leave in October of 1954 to travel to Grand Rapids to marry Julene and travel with his bride to El Paso, Texas where he was stationed. He was discharged in 1955, moved back to Grand Rapids, and was hired as a special education teacher at the Children’s Retreat at Pine Rest Christian Hospital. While teaching at Children’s Retreat, Harold and Julene moved to Cutlerville, MI and were blessed with six children. In 1969 he accepted an offer to be the first director of Christian Opportunity Center in Pella, IA, a new day school for mentally disabled children. After four years at COC, he moved the family to Steamboat Rock, IA and was employed as a teacher in the Eldora, IA school system and later as a consultant in special education for the Iowa State Education Department. He retired in 1995. In 2000 he and Julene moved back to Cutlerville. Harold passed away unexpectedly on December 1, 2023 at the Breton Woods Assisted Living Center in Kentwood MI. He was preceded in death by his parents, his two younger brothers and younger sister, his wife Julene, and by their son Gary Eiten. He is survived by his children Dan (Mary) Eiten of Denison, IA, Keith (Pam) Eiten of Wheaton, IL, Leisha Eiten of Omaha, NE, Beth (Greg) Miller of Grand Rapids, MI, and Jonathan (Julia) Eiten of Gorham, ME; by twelve grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews; and by many friends, near and far. He will be greatly missed by all of us. Visitation will be held at Stroo Funeral Home, 1095 68th St SE, Grand Rapids, MI, on Sunday, December 10 from 3-6 PM. A funeral service will be held at Cutlerville East Christian Reformed Church, 501 68th St SE, Grand Rapids, MI, on Monday, December 11 at 11 AM, with lunch served afterwards. Memorial donations may be sent to With Ministries (https://withministries.org) or the Steamboat Rock Iowa Historical Society, 409 W. Market St., Steamboat Rock, IA 50672 |
STROO FUNERAL HOME
1095 68TH ST SE
GRAND RAPIDS, MI 49508
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