Obituaries

Area Funerals

Edward I. Hill

Edward I. Hill, 81, of Humboldt, passed away July 26, 2012 at the Long Term Care Unit of the Humboldt County Memorial Hospital.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 30, 2012 at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Humboldt. Interment will be in Trinity Cemetery at Hardy.

Visitation is from 6-8 p.m. Sunday at the Mason-Lindhart Funeral Home in Humboldt.

Edward Irvin Hill, the son of Almer and Anna (Johnson) Hill, was born March 13, 1931 on the family farm in Humboldt County. Ed attended country schools and graduated from Humboldt High School with the class of 1948. Ed enlisted into the United States Air Force where he received radio and radar training. While stationed in Mississippi, Ed met Dorothy Graves and the couple was united in marriage on June 5, 1954 at Turnertown, Texas. While in the Air Force, Ed was stationed in England and traveled throughout Europe. Following his honorable discharge, he went to work for Brantiff Airlines. In February of 1958, Ed and Dorothy returned to Humboldt County where the couple farmed until moving into Humboldt in 1994. Mrs. Hill passed away in May of 1999 and Ed continued to maintain his home until moving to Springvale in 2004. He became a resident of Long Term Care in September of 2010.

Ed was a life long member of the Trinity Lutheran Church at Hardy and recently a member of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Humboldt. Ed was an avid John Deere man and enjoyed attending thresher reunions. He also enjoyed winters spent with Dorothy in Arizona and watching the Iowa Hawkeyes. He liked gospel music and supported many religious charities. In later years, Ed stayed busy with jigsaw, crossword, and jumble puzzles and reading.

Mr. Hill is survived by his daughters, Dianna (Nick) Stallmann of Hospers and Kris (Rick) Pederson of Humboldt; grandchildren, Travis Pederson of Dakota City, Courtney Pederson and Miranda Pederson both of Humboldt, and Scott Stallmann and Kyla Stallmann both of Hospers; his brother, Amos (Janice) Hill of Humboldt; sisters, Mary (Ray) Husted of Humboldt and Jan (John) Peterson of Humboldt; and his sister-in-law, Pat Hill of Humboldt. He was preceded in death by his parents, Almer and Anna (Johnson) Hill; his wife, Dorothy; and his brother, Art Hill.

Merle Van Roekel

Merle Van Roekel age 88 of Rock Rapids, IA died Tuesday, July 24, 2012 at the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills, MN.

Funeral service will be 2:00 PM Thursday, July 26th at First Reformed Church in Rock Rapids, IA, with Rev. Dave Sikkema officiating. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery in Rock Rapids.

Visitation will be Thursday, July 26th one hour prior to the service at the church.

Jurrens Funeral Home of Rock Rapids is in charge of services.

Robert “Rob” Syndergaard

Funeral services for 85 year old Robert “Rob” Syndergaard of Sutherland Iowa died Sunday July 22nd 2012 at his home in Sutherland.

Services will be held Thursday July 26, 2012 at 10:30am at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Sutherland Iowa with Father Tim Hogan officiating.

Visitation will begin at 2:30pm Wednesday July 25th with the family present from 5-7pm Wednesday evening at Warner Funeral Home in Sutherland. There will be no Vigil service.

Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Sutherland Iowa. In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to the Abben Cancer Center of Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Warner Funeral Home of Sutherland is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences may be sent at http://www.warnerfuneralhome.com/.

 

Robert ‘Bob’ Eugene Syndergaard, the son of Peter H. and Beatrice Rose (Brees) Syndergaard, was born July 2, 1927 in Royal, Iowa. His childhood years were spent on the farm near Peterson, where he received his early education at a country school north of Peterson. He later attended and graduated from Peterson High School in 1944. After his schooling, he farmed with his father for one year before being drafted into the service and serving with the U.S. Army in Japan from 1946 until his honorable discharge in 1948.

Bob returned to Sutherland following his discharge and married Bernie Lorene Streufert on September 30, 1948 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Sutherland. They farmed for many years on a farm north of Sutherland. Bob worked as an auctioneer since 1966. He started at Spencer North Y Auction with the help of Leonard Eischeid and ended with being a representative for Sheldon Livestock Sales. He retired from farming in 1978, but continued his auctioneer business. His last sale would have been as honorary auctioneer for his cousin Rich Bailey’s upcoming farm sale. He was especially proud of the business, athletic and military accomplishments of his grandkids. Bob was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Sutherland. He was also a member of the Sutherland Recreation Corporation, Ruritan and most recently had been appointed as a board member of the Cornerstone Senior Community. He enjoyed spending time with his family. In his spare time he enjoyed his lake home and fishing in Miller’s Bay. In his younger years, he enjoyed playing semi-pro football for the Sutherland Bulldogs.

Bob passed away at his home in Sutherland on Monday, July 23, 2012 at the age of 85. He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Michael; an infant daughter, Dianne; his brother and sister-in-law, Ken & Evelyn Syndergaard & two brothers-in-law: Dave Herwynen and Vernon Whittenburg.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Bernie of Sutherland; one son, Phil Syndergaard of Sutherland; a daughter-in-law, Jody Syndergaard of Sutherland; four grandchildren: Shawn, Alison, Kaleb and Jarod; three sisters: Kathleen Whittenburg and her friend, Max Wetherell of Peterson, IA, Rosemary Hansen and her husband, Ken of Storm Lake, IA and Sarah Herwynen of Sioux City, IA; several nieces and nephews; other relatives and many friends.

Berdella DeBoer

Berdella De Boer age 95 of Hills, MN died Sunday, July 22, 2012 at the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills, MN.

Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday July 26, 2012 at United Reformed Church in Hills, MN with Rev. Doug Barnes officiating.

Burial will follow at United Reformed Church Cemetery in Hills.

Visitation will be Wednesday, July 25 from 2 to 8 P.M. with family present from 6 to 8 P.M. at the Jurrens Funeral Home of Hills, MN.

Berdella Vander Meulen was born October 31, 1916 at Orange City, IA to Edward and Alice Vander Meulen. Berdella grew up in the Sioux Center, Orange City, Alton and Ocheyedan areas. She worked at home and helped pick corn by hand, milking and housework. Berdella married Frank De Boer on February 20, 1940 at her parents’ home. They began their married life at Rock Rapids, IA and moved to Sanborn, Ocheyedan and back to Sanborn. In 1944 Frank and Berdella began farming and lived on farms by Harris, Round Lake and Lake Park before moving to Hills, MN. Berdella worked at the Tuff Memorial Home to help pay for Christian School tuition. She moved to the Tuff Village in April 2002 and entered the Tuff memorial Home in March 2006. While at the nursing home Berdella made many friends, welcomed new residents, read the Bible and prayed with the residents. She passed away July 22, 2012.

Those left to cherish her memories are her children, Charles (Rheta) De Boer of Hills, MN, Erwin (Faith) De Boer of Hills, MN, Mary (Allen) Van Raalte of Sioux Falls, SD, Alma (Erwin) Kooistra of Rock Valley, IA, Burdett (Butch)De Boer of Alvord, IA, Mina Brandt of Remsen, IA, Carmen (Greg) Dougherty Valley Springs, SD; 24 grandchildren; 62 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great grandchild; brother, Alan (Norma) Vander Meulen of Ocheyedan, IA; sister, Louise (Ervin) Smidt of Artesia, CA; several foster children including, April Anderson of Worthington, MN and Joel McKnelly of Sioux Falls, SD; and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank; two brothers, Roy Vander Meulen and Edward Van der Meulen; and two sisters, Nelvina Bergsma and Mildred Eversdyke.

In lieu of flowers family wished donations be directed to the Hills Christian School.

Mr. Donald Raak

Mr. Donald Raak, age 91, of Hospers, passed away on Friday, July 20, 2012, at the Orange City Area Health System Hospital.

There will be a memorial service on Monday, July 23, at 11:00am, at the First Reformed Church in Hospers. The Rev. Milton Sikkema will officiate. Interment will be prior to the service at the Hospers Cemetery. There will be a prayer service on Monday at 10:00am at the church.

Visitation with the family will be on Sunday, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm, at the church. Arrangements are with the Oolman Funeral Home in Hospers.

A complete obituary is available at www.oolman.com.

Henry “Hank” Steensma

Henry “Hank” Steensma, age 88 of Sanborn, IA passed away at the Prairie View Nursing Home in Sanborn, IA on Tuesday, July 17, 2012.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, July 25th at 11:00 a.m. at the Cornerstone United Reformed Church in Sanborn. Rev. Todd DeRooy will be officiating.

Visitation will be at the Sanborn Funeral Home Chapel beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 24th with the family present from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. Tuesday evening. Burial will be at Roseland Cemetery in Sanborn at 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday morning.

The Sanborn Funeral Home in Sanborn is in charge of the arrangements for 88 year old Henry “Hank” Steensma of Sanborn. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.sanborn-hartleyfuneralhomes.com