Helen Leola (Broekhouse) Gunnink (1921-2013)

GUNNINK, BROEKHOUSE, SCHELHAAS, HUISKEN, ZITTERICH, KLUMPER, BUYS

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 8/11/2013 at 15:23:51

From Stevens Memorial Chapel obituary, Ames, Story County, Iowa:

Helen Leola (Broekhouse) Gunnink, age 92, of Pipestone, MN, died Friday, July 12th, 2013, at the Edgebrook Care Center in Edgerton, Minnesota. Funeral service will be held Friday at 11:00 AM at First Christian Reformed Church in Edgerton. Burial will follow at Hillside Cemetery in Edgerton. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Colonial Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.

The daughter of Gerhart and Gertie (Schelhaas) Broekhouse was born on June 16th, 1921 in Edgerton, Minnesota. Helen attended Edgerton Christian Elementary and graduated from Edgerton Public High School in 1939. She loved playing center on the girls' basketball team and had a strong competitive spirit. Those years provided many fond memories. Helen worked as a sales clerk at Hartog's Store.

She loved children and lived with her Uncle Bill and Aunt Jessie Huisken to help care for their first four children for a time. She also wanted to become a beautician and went to ladies' homes to style and wave their hair. On February 23rd, 1945, she was united in marriage to Harold H. Gunnink at the Protestant Reformed Church in Edgerton. Following their wedding they lived on a farm northwest of Leota, Minnesota for 43 years primarily involved in dairy farming. They raised five children. She was a loving wife, dedicated mother and grandmother and faithful Christian. In 1988, she and Harold moved to Edgerton.

Helen was active in the First Christian Reformed Church in Edgerton. The Ladies Bible Studies, the Grow Group and mission outreach activities were very important to her. She was a talented seamstress, led 4-H groups, enjoyed crafts, table games, laughter, card groups, and solving word puzzles. Helen enjoyed quilting for the Southwest High School Circles. She made and gifted quilts to each of her grandchildren. With a servant's heart and a giving spirit she gladly cooked, baked, and donated for church and school fundraisers.

The last eight years she has resided at the Edgebrook Care Center in Edgerton, Minnesota where on July 12th, 2013, she passed on peacefully to her eternal home, exactly 60 years after her mother died.

Helen is survived by her daughters, Leila Huisken of Brookings, South Dakota, Gretchen (William) Zitterich of Ames, Iowa, and Carol (Jerry) Klumper of Elk Point, South Dakota; sons, Henry (Judy) Gunnink of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota and Gordon (Jamie) Gunnink of Griffith, Indiana; her only sister, Verna Buys; sister-in-law, Sebia Gunnink; 13 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband, Harold in 1997; parents, Gerhart and Gertie Broekhouse; son-in-law, Gary Huisken; brothers-in-law, William Buys, Frank Gunnink, and Gerrit Gunnink; and sister-in-law, Margaret Gunnink.

http://www.stevensmemorialchapel.com/
 

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