HUISMAN, Mayo 1928-2015

HUISMAN, LAMB

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 2/24/2019 at 17:38:14

Mayo "Mike" Huisman

A "Celebration of Life Service" for Mayo "Mike" James Huisman was held on June 9, 2015 at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Greg Kroeger and Pastor John Britt officiating. Interment took place at Black Hills National Cemetery with military honors provided by VFW Post 1273.

Mike died June 4, 2015, at Golden Living Center-Meadowbrook in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Memorials may be directed to the Hope Center of Rapid City, an organization "helping others through prayer and encouragement." Through God's love, the Hope Center offers the homeless and those without hope in our community, an environment of respect, encouragement and guidance, as they move toward a better life.

Mike was born March 15, 1928, at Wellsburg, the son of Meint James and Ellen (Lamb) Huisman. He was the youngest of five brothers and a sister. Mike attended schools in Wellsburg and graduated from high school in 1945 at the age of 17. Several of his summers during high school years were spent helping his uncle and aunt on their ranch in Montana where Mike gained an appreciation of the "Old West".

Mike enlisted in the Army in July of 1945. He was assigned to the Army Specialized Training Reserve Program held at SDSU, Brookings, SD. Basic training was at Ft. Bliss, Texas followed by a tour of duty in Manila, Philippines. After a six month assignment at West Point, New York, he was honorably discharged April 2, 1947.

He began his career in education teaching Junior High math and science at Malvern, IA at the age of 19. He attended the University of Northern Iowa and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1951. A highlight of this experience was the summer of 1950 when he and his mother attended school together. Mike taught in schools in Colfax and Grundy Center, IA, where he also served as Junior High principal. He taught for a year in Lintz, Austria, for the Department of Defense, in Ypsilanti, Michigan and three years in Caracas, Venezuela at Camp Alegre. Mike received his Master of Arts degree from the University of Iowa in 1957. He then served as Elementary and Junior High principal at Clear Lake, IA. Mike spent summers attending college and received a Specialist in Education Degree from the University of Colorado in August of 1972. Mike was employed by the Rapid City School system in 1961 and established the Instructional Materials Center. He retired in 1988 after forty years as an educator.

He met his wife, Shirley, at Clear Lake, and they were married in 1962. They would have been married 53 years in July, lived at the same residence for 53 years and were members of the First United Methodist Church in Rapid City for nearly 53 years. Mike liked to say "We had a trifecta." They raised two sons, Mark (deceased 2012) and Brett.

Mike was a member of First United Church and Methodist Men. He was active in men's activities in his church and served as a mentor for the younger men. He was on the board of Church Response for a number of years and was one of the persons who started the food certificate program, which is a fund raiser for Church Response and is still in effect today. He was a member of Mended Hearts and Mended Little Hearts.

Mike had a quick smile and a keen sense of humor. He was a man of many interests including, fishing, gardening, golfing, playing "dummy" rummy at Jerry's, cooking, photography and traveling. The things he enjoyed most about gardening were preserving and sharing his produce. He enjoyed freezing homemade ice cream to share with summer visitors. Ever the instructor, he made certain that everyone who wanted a taste of this special treat would take their turn at turning the handle of the freezer properly until the ice cream reached the desired consistency. Another specialty of Mike's was his peanut brittle and he would make ten or twelve batches every Christmas season. These were carefully packaged, labeled, and delivered to his many care givers, neighbors, and friends.

A special joy in recent years was reuniting with many of his former students he taught while in Caracus, Venezuela. Mike and Shirley were blessed to be able to attend several of the reunions these students planned, particularly to be able to rekindle their relationship with a favorite teacher. Mike traveled throughout Europe and South America as well as to most of the states in the United States. He especially enjoyed his travels to cities in Austria and Germany and to Costa Rica. However, his favorite travel destination was to Iowa to spend time with families and friends. Special fishing experiences were trips to Canada, the Missouri River, as well as to many of the lakes in the Black Hills. Ice fishing was a favorite activity and Mike enjoyed smoking and sharing the trout he caught.

Mike is survived by his wife, Shirley; his son, Brett of Frisco, TX; sisters-in-law, Helen Huisman of Holland, Virginia Huisman of Grundy Center, and Mildred Huisman of Sarasota, FL; brothers and sisters-in-law, Bill and Marcilee Yeager of Newton, Clell and Linda Bryan Allerton, Larry and Madeline Wilcox of Columbia, MO, Richard and Frances Henderson of Newton, IA; his very special nieces and nephews, Bonnie Moses, Bob Huisman, Peg Huisman, Jackie Lauer, Patsy Hoekstra, Bonnie Eggers, Larry Ward, Ginny Oddo, Toby Huisman, Duane Huisman, Mona Huisman, and Larry Huisman.

He was preceded in death by his dear son, Mark; nephews, Mike and Leo; his parents; his brothers, Herbert, Gene, Lester, Eldon, and Ralph; his sister, Wanda; and his sister-in-law, Sally.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 25 June 2015, pg 3