Gregory “Blaine” Vos began his life as the third child of Gene and Helen Vos in Iowa City, Iowa, July 17, 1956. After a short fight with COVID-19, he was transported to his heavenly home on Nov. 4, 2021, and is now healed and whole.

Blaine grew up in Marshalltown, Iowa, with three sisters Vivian, Valerie and Jylene. He excelled in wrestling at Marshalltown High School and also played trumpet in the band graduating in 1974. He attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.

In his third decade of life, Blaine had a life-changing conversion with Jesus Christ. From then he was devoted to serving others--he went to Jamaica where he worked in a soup kitchen and as a church youth director. While in Jamaica he met Joan Cunningham whom he married in 1998. Blaine taught in the Caribbean Christ for the Nations Bible College in Jamaica. Blaine taught for a month in Barbados Christian Bible College. Blaine and Joan moved to the States in 2001 living briefly in Colorado then moving to Oskaloosa to help care for his grandmother Martha Rodgers.

After her death, they moved to the 40 acres to the house Blaine had helped his parents build in rural Oskaloosa. He enjoyed animals and as a young man had two draft horses while in more recent years focused on working dogs-- the Catahoula and the Great Pyrenees. Blaine had a spirit of independence and was known for his congeniality to the point of playfulness especially with children and young people as his many nieces, nephews and young cousins can attest. Blaine was a graduate of Ozark Christian College and pastored at the Oskaloosa Church of Christ and at the Christian Union Chapel. Blaine ministered with Prison Fellowship in the Newton Correctional Facility and helped many men assimilate. He served six years as director of New Hope Community LLC in Oskaloosa and also was a director of Mahaska Habitat for Humanity. For 10 years he and Joan managed the local Culture Club encouraging fellowship of several nationalities in the area.

Blaine is survived by his wife, Joan; son, DeVante; daughter, Shenelle; mother, Helen; sisters, Vivian (Greg Picchione) Vos, Valerie (Tracy) Spaur, Jy (Dan) Bowman; one uncle and aunt; 14

cousins, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Gene.

A memorial service will be held in June of 2022 in Oskaloosa. Memorial gifts would be welcomed as donations payable to New Hope Community LLC c/o Joan Vos, PO Box 124 University Park, IA 52595. If so noted, donations will be used for Blaine and Joan's continued passion for Jamaican Missions. (NHC is a 501c3 organization.)