Sandbulte, Kenneth 1930-2010

SANDBULTE, VANTHOF

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 6/30/2010 at 09:23:00

Kenneth Sandbulte
3/14/1930 - Friday, June 25, 2010
Kenneth Sandbulte, 80, of Carmel, IA passed away Friday evening, June 25. Surrounded by his family, he died peacefully, at his home, in the arms of his wife of 59 years.
Service will be held Tuesday at 2PM at Carmel Reformed Church of rural Rock Valley with Rev. Mark Heijerman officiating. Interment will follow the service in Carmel Cemetery of rural Rock Valley.
Arrangements are being completed with Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center.
Kenneth (Kenny) Sandbulte was one of 15 children born to Henry and Minerva Sandbulte of rural Sioux Center, IA. Kenny attended country school in Carmel, and attended Sioux Center high school for one year until June 1944, when a tornado forced him to quit and help rebuild the family farm.
Kenny married Florence Van't Hof on December 26, 1950. They began their married life on an 98 acre farm around Carmel. After 10 years, they bought the larger neighboring farm and settled their growing family into the old farmhouse. Nine years later they built the current farmhouse where they lived and brought up 12 children. In later years, Kenny and Florence moved to a small acreage south of the family farm.
Kenny's early life was filled with raising children, farming, and playing fast pitch softball. He was an active member of Carmel Reformed Church where he served on consistory, taught Sunday School, served as a youth group sponsor, and was a mainstay of Carmel's Vacation Bible School. Throughout his life, Kenny's love for children and youth was unsurpassed and he had a special spot in his heart for the handicapped and disadvantaged. Kenny helped to establish Harmony Home, served on the board of Amistad Christiana, and was an M2 visitor in the Sioux Falls Penitentiary Prison ministry.
Kenny was a lifelong horse and mule enthusiast. His horse adventures are legendary and would become his familys legacy.
Kenny is survived by his wife of 59 years, Florence; his 12 children: Bonnie and Mike Hofmeyer of Sheldon, Nancy and Richard Dykstra of Hull, Henry and Sue (Ter Hark) Sandbulte of Dayton, MN, Merlyn and Donna (Ellis) Sandbulte of Rock Valley, Lauren of Hull, Wendell of Hull, Brenda and Jim Shannon of Springfield, MO, Nolan and Sheila (Haan) of Sioux Center, Vicki and Glenn VanderLugt of Hawarden, Shelley Timmer of Rock Valley, Pam and Rick Meitzler of Barrington Hills, IL, Shawn and Jami (Vollink) of Rock Valley. There are 45 grandchildren, 55 with grand-children's spouses, and 32 great grandchildren.
Two brothers and six sisters survive, Bernard and Leona Sandbulte of Luverne MN, Delmar and Betty Sandbulte of Sioux Center, Johanna and Rev. Arnold Punt of Sioux Center, Lois and Harold VanMaanen of Rock Valley, Norma and John Boogerd of Hull, Henrietta and Arnold Van Kley of Rock Valley, Carol and Clarence Van Voorst of Hull, Muriel and Bob Oostra of Hull; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Rodney and Karlene Van't Hof of Sioux Center, Roger and Lori Van't Hof of Orange City, Gene and Becky Van't Hof of Eden Prairie, MN and many nieces and nephews.
Those who he has joined in Heaven are his parents, Henry and Minerva, parents-in-law, Bernie and Henrietta Van't Hof, grandson, Graham VanderLugt, daughter-in-law, Cathy Sandbulte and six brothers: Jim, Milton and four who died in infancy.
Source: Memorial Funeral Home obit.