Starkenburg, Robert Lee 1951-2019

STARKENBURG, JACOBSMA, KIEL

Posted By: Marjorie Brunsting-Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:32

Mr. Robert Starkenburg, age 68, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, passed away on Wednesday, August 28, 2019, at his residence.

There will be a funeral service on Tuesday, September 3, at 10:00am, at the Linwood Wesleyan Church in Sioux Falls. The Rev. Marc Sundstrom, The Rev. Keith Nash, and the Rev. Leroy Christoffels will officiate. Interment will follow the service at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Sioux Falls. Visitation with the family will be on Monday, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm at the CHURCH.

Arrangements are with the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.

Robert Lee Starkenburg was born on March 28, 1951, in Sioux City, Iowa, to Alice Cosgrove. He was adopted and raised by Edward and Leona (Jacobsma) Starkenburg. He grew up in the Hartley and Sanborn, Iowa area, where he attended the Sanborn Christian School, the Hartley Public School, and graduated from the Western Christian High School in Hull, Iowa.

On August 4, 1971, he married Twyla Faye Kiel in Hartley. For a short time, the couple farmed near Hartley and Robert worked as a meat cutter at Spencer Foods. His natural mechanical ability and exacting nature lead him to pursue watch and clock making at the St. Paul Technical Institute in St. Paul, Minnesota. After becoming a certified master watchmaker, he accepted a position at Landstrom’s Jewelry in Rapid City, South Dakota. The couple later moved to Rock Valley, Iowa, where they owned and operated Starkenburg Jewelry. In the 1980’s, they returned to Rapid City where Robert continued to work as a horologist for Landstrom’s and eventually accepted a position with the Riddle’s Group, where he was Vice President of the watch division. While in Rapid City, he also operated a bookkeeping and tax service and oversaw the renovation of several homes. In 2005, Robert and Twyla relocated to Sioux Falls.

Mr. Starkenburg was currently a member of the Linwood Wesleyan Church in Sioux Falls, and a former member of the Christian Reformed Church in Hartley, Iowa; the Christian Reformed Church, the Grace Reformed Church, and the Black Hills Community Church, all in Rapid City; and the Living Hope Church in Tea, South Dakota.

Robert enjoyed woodworking, fishing with the family at Sheridan Lake, collecting coins and tractors, watching western television shows, repairing watches and clocks, and going to dinner with family and friends. He often talked of his travels to Europe and China for watch component procurements, especially to Switzerland.

Survivors include his wife of more than 48 years; four children and their spouses, Keith and Rebekah Starkenburg, of Homewood, Illinois; Shawn and Diane Starkenburg, of Los Alamos, New Mexico; Dan and Amy Starkenburg, of Le Claire, Iowa; and Tamara and Jason Cox, of Sioux Falls; thirteen grandchildren, Samuel, Mia, and Clara Starkenburg; Naomi and Eli Starkenburg; David, Anna Marie, Hannah, Dan, and Addison Starkenburg; and Asher Starkenburg, Brylee, and Callyn Cox; his birth mother, Alice Cosgrove, of O’Fallon, Missouri; a sister, Susan Starkenburg, of Sheldon; two brothers and their wives, Edward and Kim Starkenburg, of Orange City; and Scott and Janet Starkenburg, of Fulton, Illinois; a brother-in-law, Arlin Kiel, of Spirit Lake; four sisters-in-law and their husbands, Wanda and George Bowder, of Fairbanks, Alaska; Cheryl and John Hoogland, of Sioux Center; Linda and Marlin Vander Velde, of Sanborn; and Laura and Dave Pluim, of Sioux Falls; and 28 nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a child during pregnancy; his wife’s parents, William and Joan Kiel; two brothers-in-law, Calvin Kiel and Bob Mathison; a sister-in-law, Betty Kiel; a niece, Christine Hoogland; and a nephew, Curtis Hoogland.

Memorials me be directed to the Starkenburg Family to benefit the staff and patients of Avera Dialysis in Sioux Falls.

Source: Oolman Funeral Home online obituary.