Niemeyer, Harrietta "Harry" (Mrs. Gerrit) 1947-2023

NIEMEYER, DEZEEUW, ZOET

Posted By: Marjorie Brunsting-Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/9/2024 at 13:06:12

Ms. Harrietta Niemeyer, age 76, of Sioux Center, formerly of Hull, passed away on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, at the Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center in Sioux Falls South Dakota.

There will be a celebration of her life on Saturday January 6, at 1:00pm, at the New Life Reformed Church in Sioux Center with the Rev. Dan Kruse officiating. Refreshments and a time of visitation with the family will take place at the church following the service. At Harrietta’s request, her body has been donated to the University of Iowa for the purpose of anatomical education. A private family interment will take place at a later date. The Oolman Funeral Home in Hull is in charge of arrangements.

Harrietta Janice was born on October 16, 1947, in Hull, the daughter of Joe and Kathryn (De Zeeuw) Zoet. She was raised near Hull and graduated from the Western Christian High School in 1965.

On October 23, 1968, she was united in marriage to Gerrit Niemeyer. They made their home on a farm near Inwood, and had four children before moving to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. They later returned to Northwest Iowa and lived in Ashton until settling on her parents’ farm north of Hull. In 2014, “Harry” moved to Sioux Center, where she has since made her home and attended the New Life Reformed Church. She frequently listened to other local church services on her radio and faithfully enjoyed listening to Dale Baker on the radio on Sunday afternoon.

Harry enjoyed keeping busy and loved being with people working. She enjoyed providing in-home daycare when she was younger and raised many children like they were her own. She also worked at the Foreign Candy Company in Hull for fifteen years and built motors at Groschopp in Sioux Center. In her 'spare time' she cleaned offices at Sioux Automation in Sioux Center. Most recently she worked in the kitchen at Dordt University in Sioux Center, where she enjoyed being around students whom she treated as her honorary grandchildren. Her favorite time of year was the fall when she got to know the new students. Her family was very important to her, and she did her best to make it to as many of her children's and grandchildren's activities as she could. She also made a big effort to make special memories with her family including riding in a hot air balloon in Wyoming, white water rafting in Idaho, taking a family Disney cruise in 2007, and most recently, in the fall of 2022, traveling to Colorado to see her beloved mountains 'one last time.' Her grandchildren will be sure not to forget her humor and some crazy memories such as giving 'airplane' rides in her car, snipe hunting while camping, eating ice cream for breakfast, and her special Halloween cackle. She never missed a birthday and loved singing to all on their special day. She leaves behind lots of handwritten holiday cards and birthday notes to be cherished by all who received them.

Survivors include her four children and their spouses, Paula and Mike Steffes, of Granville, and their children, Jarod (Madison), and Emily; Joel and Pam Niemeyer, of Zearing, and their children, Brandyn (Jenna), Bryce (fiancée McKenna), McKenzie, Colton, and Jadyn; Kim and Jeff Hoogendoorn, of Rock Rapids, and their son, Ethan; and Michael and Katie Niemeyer, of Clear Lake, and their children, Haley and Andrew; one great-granddaughter, Marlow; a brother and his wife, Phil and Karen Zoet, of Hull; and two sisters and their husbands, Lisa and Mark Van Der Brink, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Lori and Steve Reintsma, of Rock Valley; along with several nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a sister, Janith Schultz.

In lieu of flowers, memorials will be given to the Ronald McDonald House in Rochester, Minnesota, and Mid-Sioux Opportunity.

Source: Oolman Funeral Home online obituary.