John Symens

Mr. John Symens, age 92, of Willow Lake died on Friday evening, September 1, 2006 in the Parkview Care Center at Bryant. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 at 10:30 AM in the United Presbyterian Church at Willow Lake with Pastor Jim Uthe officiating. Burial will follow in the Collins Cemetery at Willow Lake. Casketbearers will be Bill Close, Derick Larson, Curtis, Brent, Josh and Cody Symens. Musice will be presented by Aris Schmidt as organist. Pam Grensberg and Henry Johnson will sing. The congregation will sing "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" and "Bringing in the Sheaves" Visitation will be held on Tuesday from 5-7 PM at the Church in Willow Lake and also 1 hour preceding services in the Church. He was born south of Willow Lake on June 30, 1914, the son of Reiner and Annie (Gronewold) Symens. He attended country school near Spirit Lake. On June 1, 1939 he was united in marriage to Helen C. Carstensen in the parsonage of the Reformed Church at Willow Lake. The couple lived and farmed south of Willow Lake. In November of 2003 he moved to the South Park Assisted Living facility in Bryant. Mrs. Symens died on February 19, 2004. John's love of the land was second to none. He spent countless hours enjoying nature at its finest. Horses and pitching horseshoes were among favorite pastimes which also included hunting, fishing, and playing the accordion, even playing at their 50th wedding anniversary. In earlier years he enjoyed playing at barn dances and also was an avid player of soft pitch softball. Another talent of his was being a 'water witcher' using most anything in his hand to find water. John was also known to many as the guy with the 'whoee' stick and playing magic tricks, especially with cards. For many years he drove school bus for the Willow Lake School District. He was a member of the United Presbyterian Church at Willow Lake where he has served as a deacon, elder and had sang in the choir and the Men's Quartet. Grateful for having shared in his life is his son, Rick Symens and wife Sharon and a daughter-in-law, JoLayne 'Jody' Symens all of Willow Lake; six grandchildren, Curtis Symens and wife Denise, Brent, Terri, Patti Larson and husband Derick and Josh and Cody Symens and 2 great-grandchildren Mitchell and Morgan Symens. Preceding him in death were his parents, wife Helen and a son, Ronald on July 28th of this year and a sister, Engeline Dykstra. Services are announced by the Furness Funeral Home of Clark where you can email a condolence to www.furnessfuneralhome.com