Leon M. Te Grotenhuis

Leon M. Te Grotenhuis, age 75 of Sioux Center, IA died Saturday, May 23, 2026, at Sioux Falls Veterans Medical Hospice in Sioux Falls.

Visitation will be held from 6-8 PM, Friday, May 29, 2026, at the Memorial Funeral Home in Sioux Center.

A funeral service will be held at 10:00 AM, Saturday, May 30, 2026, at the Middleburg Free Grace Reformed Church in Middleburg with Brad Vermeer officiating. Interment will follow the service in Capel Township Cemetery of Middleburg. 

Livestream of funeral service: Leon Te Grotenhuis Service

Leon Mark Te Grotenhuis of Sioux Center, IA, completed his earthly service on Saturday, May 23, 2026, while surrounded by loved ones at the Sioux Falls VA Hospice Cottage. Over the last four months, his ALS diagnosis and God’s grace helped redirect his attention from things of this world to the promise of Heaven, and he shared his faith freely and frequently.

Leon was born on November 15, 1950, in Orange City, Iowa, to Milo and Gertrude (Westerbeek) Te Grotenhuis. The family made their home in Orange City, IA; Artesia, CA; and finally Sioux Center, and Leon loved to regale his family with memories of his siblings, cousins, and close friends. He attended Sioux Center Public Schools and completed his GED in 1971 while serving his country in the U.S. Army. Leon was drafted in May of 1970 and was eventually stationed in Mannheim, Germany until his honorable discharge.

After completing his military service, Leon returned to Sioux Center where he started his first of many trucking jobs and reconnected with the love of his life, Gloria (Franken). He loved to joke that he sold a very special German rifle to buy her engagement ring “...but she was a better prize.” They were married on May 26, 1973, in Middleburg, IA. Their first home was purchased in Sioux Center, but in 1977, they built a house on the Middleburg blacktop where they enjoyed country life together for the next fifty years.

Leon loved traveling as a hobby, and, for nearly five decades, it was also his career. As a truck driver, he enjoyed the freedom to explore, the experience of different ways of life, and the beauty of nature. He also enjoyed giving directions to family for their trips, using only mile markers. He tested out retirement, but no one knows when, because he couldn't actually stop himself from working.

Socializing was second nature to Leon, who seemingly never met a stranger. Not only did he love to share stories, he also loved to hear them. Politics, the weather, his grandchildren’s various activities, and Hawkeye sports were often topics of discussion. Spending time at Round Lake, taking road trips across the US, and strolling along Florida beaches brought happy memories, but nothing made his face light up like getting a roomful of his grandchildren to laugh.

Leon was a member of Free Grace Reformed Church in Middleburg. This community of believers was a special blessing that he testified to often. He was also a proud member of the American Legion Doornink Brunsting Post 199. He was honored to serve his country but was even prouder of his fellow veterans and spoke of their sacrifices often.

Grateful to have shared his life are his wife Gloria; children: Heather Van Es and husband Joe (Sioux Center), Seth Te Grotenhuis and wife Stephanie (Sioux Center), Maggie Te Grotenhuis (Atlanta, GA), and Calee Te Grotenhuis (Iowa City, IA); foster daughter, Kalah Taylor and husband Terrell (Omaha, NE); his 10 beloved grandchildren; brothers: Larry (Erma) Te Grotenhuis of Sioux Center, Loran (Marilyn) Te Grotenhuis of Hull, IA; sister, Lenyce (Daryl) Wielenga of Orange City, IA; brothers- and sisters-in-law: Will (Linda) Franken of Sioux Center, Ken (Vic) Franken of Sioux Center, Diane (Denny) Burns of Ireton, IA, and Gerry (Julie) Franken of Sioux Center; as well as many nieces and nephews. Leon’s cousin, Duane Te Grotenhuis was a devout prayer warrior throughout his ALS trial; Leon relied on their frequent conversations filled with scripture, prayer, and talks about spiritual truths.

Leon was preceded in death by his parents, his father- and mother-in-law Gerrit and Liz Franken, his son, Caleb Te Grotenhuis, brother-in-law, Mark Witt, and sister-in-law, Vicki Franken.