Dena Neevel

  Dena Neevel, age 95, of Lynden, went home to her Lord and Savior on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016.
  A daughter of Ernest John and Hendrika (Schiebout) Williamson, Dena was born Nov. 12, 1920 in Helena, Montana. As a child, she lived in Alberta, Canada. On Aug. 17, 1948, Dena married Lester Neevel at the Reformed Church in Monarch, Alberta, Canada. They dairy farmed in Whatcom County for about 30 years before retiring and selling the farm to their son Gordon. Dena and Lester were members of the Nooksack Reformed Church in Nooksack and Faith Reformed Church in Lynden where they served as janitors. After retiring, they enjoyed many years together traveling between their home in Lynden and their winter home in Arizona. They were mission volunteers for Christian Reformed World Relief, serving during the Hurricane Andrew crisis in Florida and the flooding crisis in Dayton, Washington.
  Gifted with her hands, Dena enjoyed working on projects with Dad. She volunteered at the Lighthouse Mission Auxiliary. She enjoyed decorating, arts and crafts, knitting, ceramics, macramé, oil painting and quilting. At the Lynden Senior Center, she loved playing bocce ball, games and winning.
  Dena is preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Lester; three sisters and a brother.
  She will be missed by her children Loraine (Leon) Zweegman, Gordon (Audrey) Neevel, and Jim (Tami) Neevel; 12 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren; and her dear sister Ada Harink.
  Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15, at Gillies Funeral Home. The graveside committal is at 1:15 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16, at Monumenta Cemetery, followed by a 2 p.m. memorial service at Faith Reformed Church, 300 Seventh St., Lynden, WA 98264.
  Memorials may be made to the Lighthouse Mission, Lighthouse Mission Ministries, P.O. Box 548, Bellingham, WA 98227.
  You are invited to share your condolences and memories in the online guestbook at www.gilliesfuneralhome.com.
  Arrangements are entrusted to Gillies Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Lynden.