Mr. Thomas Mulder, age 88, of Hull, passed away on Friday, September 19, 2014, at the Sanford Senior Care in Sheldon.
There will be a celebration of his life on Monday, at 10:30am, at the First Christian Reformed Church in Hull. The Rev. Carl Klompien, the Rev. Brent Mulder, and the Rev. Luke Wynia will officiate. Interment will be prior to the service at the Hope Cemetery in Hull. There will be a family prayer service on Monday, at 9:30am, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Hull.
Visitation will be after 3:30pm on Sunday, with the family present from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm, at the funeral home.
Thomas was born on December 6, 1925, at Hull, the son of Albert and Cynthia (Huitink) Mulder. He was raised at Hull. From March of 1944 to May of 1946, he served in the United States Army. He was in the European Theatre of Combat Operations in France, where he received a Purple Heart.
On August 30, 1951, he married Bernice Frances Wissink in Middleburg. They made their home in Hull, where he operated a grocery store, Tom’s Foodland. In October of 2007, after living his life in Hull, he and his wife moved to the Christian Retirement Home in Sheldon. He transferred to Sanford Senior Care in August of 2013.
Tom was currently a member of the First Christian Reformed Church in Sheldon. For 82 years, he belonged to the First Christian Reformed Church in Hull, where he served in most of the offices over the years. He was also on the boards of directors of Christian schools.
In addition, he was active in Hull community affairs, including the Business and Professional Club, the Wegman-Koele American Legion Post, and the Kiwanis. He was a Kiwanian for 35 years, serving as President and later as Lieutenant Governor for thirteen clubs in the Nebraska-Iowa district. During his tenure, three new clubs were formed, and he received the District Governor award. He was also honored with the Faith Bolks Citizenship Award for volunteer duty.
Survivors include his wife of more than 63 years; a son and his wife, Timothy Brent and Wilma Mulder, of Sioux Center; a daughter and her husband, Brenda Gail and Lyle Bolkema, of Sheldon; six grandchildren, Brent (Leah) Mulder, of Incirlik AB, Turkey; Mary Mulder, of Sioux Center; Mark (Kayla) Mulder, of Boyden; Justin Bolkema, of Peoria, Illinois; Breanna Bolkema, of La Crosse, Wisconsin; and Courtney Bolkema, of Sheldon; three great-grandchildren, Eloise, Marcus, and Mason Mulder; a brother and four sisters, Ella De Stigter, of Sioux Center; Henrietta Koele, of Orange City; Marie Van Ommeren, of Des Moines; the Rev. Alvin (Dorothy) Mulder, of Palm Springs, California; and Sylvia (Peter) Humme, of Orange City; Bernice’s two sisters, Florence Kroese, of Hull; and Gladys (Harry) Link, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and her two brothers, John Wissink, of Spring Lake, Michigan; and Sherman (Goldene) Wissink, of Sioux Center.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Ray Mulder; and a sister, Dorothy De Leeuw.
Memorials will be directed to the Gideons and Western Christian High School in Hull.
Tom loved life and he loved people; praise God!
