Rua Anita Alban was born on August 23, 1931 in Pilot Mound, Iowa to Neil Alban and Grace (Benson) Alban. She lost her father when she was very young and was raised by her mother and, for a time, her paternal grandparents. After graduating from Ogden High School at Ogden, Iowa in 1949, she attended nursing school at Iowa Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa and the University of Chicago in Illinois. Rua began her work as a registered nurse and instructor in Des Moines. She trained as an obstetrics nurse and loved working with mothers and babies.
Rua met Lee Marvin Vander Linden of Pella, Iowa, a son of Martin and Lulu (Schakel) Vander Linden, in the late 1950’s and was married to him on January 10, 1960 at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Des Moines. Upon marriage, she left her nursing position and moved to the Vander Linden farm south of Pella, Iowa. She and Lee had two children, Keith Neil, born February 7, 1961, and Ann Kathryn, born April 9, 1964. In 1968 she moved with her family to 1431 Broadway Street in Pella.
Rua’s husband, Lee, died on March 29, 1976, at the age of just 46 years. With two children in secondary school, she returned to nursing at Mahaska County Hospital in Oskaloosa, Iowa and worked there until 1993. Upon retirement, she remained active as a volunteer at the Pella Regional Health Center, at her church, Second Reformed Church in Pella, and elsewhere in the community.
A long-time diabetic, she faced health-related issues throughout her life, but met with more serious health problems in the summer of 2009. After several months in assisted living and nursing care, she died suddenly, but peacefully, at the Pella Regional Health Center, on Thursday, February 4, 2010, at the age of 78 years, attended by compassionate staff whom she knew and cared about.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her parents-in-law, her beloved husband, Lee, and two brothers, Keith and James Alban. She is survived by two brothers and their families, Ron and Carla Alban of Orland, California and Gary and Sharon Alban of Odgen, Iowa; and her two children and their families:
Keith and Brenda (Roorda) Vander Linden of Grand Rapids, MI, Lukas and Christian
Ann and Grant Fee of Melcher/Dallas, IA, Natasha, Andrew and Lacey
She was acquainted with sorrow, but also joy. She was a quiet but active Christian throughout her life and laid her faith in things eternal. She doted on her five beloved grandchildren, loved her family and friends, and gave of herself to the community. She will be greatly missed.
Funeral Services were held at the Second Reformed Church in Pella on Monday, February 8, 2010.
Memorials may be given for Second Reformed Church or the Pella Regional Health Center in Pella, Iowa.
Arrangements were made by the Van Dyk - Duven Funeral Home.
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