Ellsworth Ten Clay

1922 - 2020

Rev. Ellsworth M. Ten Clay was called to leave the Church Militant and join the Church Triumphant on December 5, 2020. He was born on November 6, 1922 into a family with 15 children. Preceding him in death were his wife Betty on August 26, 2004, his parents Henry and Minnie (Renskers) Ten Clay; four sisters - Margaret Webb, Hattie Van Bruggen, Edna Haack and Elsie Ten Clay; ten brothers – William, Dick, Henry, John, Albert, Charles, Ralph, Thelmar, Eugene, and an infant brother.
Surviving are his son, David and Sharon TenClay of Horseshoe Bay, Texas, and daughter Ruth Elizabeth Knoll of Stuart, Florida, as well as three grandsons – Matthew and Elijah of Grand Rapids, MI. and Daniel of Burleson, Texas. There are also six great grandchildren and many nephews, nieces and other relatives.
Rev. Ten Clay grew up on a large farm near Westfield, North Dakota. He attended high school in Strasburg, North Dakota, and taught school early on. He was a veteran of WWII, graduated from Central College in Pella, IA, where he met his wife to be, Betty Jo van de Geest, and from Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. For more than thirty-seven years he served as pastor of the Reformed Church of America at North Holland Reformed Church in North Holland, Michigan, First Reformed Church in Muskegon, Michigan, Fellowship Reformed Church of Lombard, Illinois, Bethel Reformed Church in Holland, Michigan and First Reformed Church in Portage, Michigan. He retired with his wife in October of 1987. In retirement he was an active and long-time member of Christ Memorial Reformed Church. As a hobby he enjoyed restoring antique furniture, upholstering, caning and refinishing, as well as reading and choral music.
Visitation will be Thursday, December 10, 2020 at Christ Memorial Church, 595 Graafschap Road, Holland from 9:30-10:45 am with the funeral service to follow at 11 am. Burial will be at Pilgrim Home Cemetery. Memorial gifts may be made to Western Theological Seminary. www.yntemafh.com