Bernice Rysdam Doornbos

BERNICE FRANCES RYSDAM DOORNBOS was born on September 29, 1920 to William Christian “Chris” and Hattie (Zwart) Veldhuizen in Battle Plain Township, Rock County, Minnesota. She attended country school in Battle Plain Township through the eighth grade. Upon completion of her education, she helped out on the farm. She was fluent in Dutch which she spoke with her parents until her teenage years. She began to go deaf in her teens and after she received hearing aids she did very well through the years. In October, 1940, she was united in marriage to Jonathan Joseph “Joe” Rysdam at her parent’s home in Pipestone County, Minnesota. They were blessed with three children, Verlyn Jay, Mavis Lee and Ruth Maureen. In 1957, she began working as a nurse’s aide at the Ashton Memorial Hospital and the Good Samaritan Home in Pipestone until the mid 1980’s. On May 1, 1974, her son, Verlyn, preceded her in death. On May 12, 1975, Joe preceded her in death. She was united in marriage to Henry Gilbert Doornbos in September of 1981 at the American Reformed Church in Woodstock, Minnesota. Following their marriage, they lived on a farm on Highway 30. She was preceded in death by Hank on December 19, 1994. After his death, she continued to live on the farm until 1997 when she moved into Woodstock where she and her sister, Wilma had an upholstery business. On October 3, 2014 she moved to Ridge View Estates in Pipestone, Minnesota. After a fall at home she was taken to the Pipestone County Medical Center and on Tuesday, November 5, 2019, she died peacefully at the age of 99 years, one month and six days.

Bernice was the last charter member of American Reformed Church in Woodstock where she taught Sunday school, sang in the choir, and was active in Bible Study and Ladies Aid. She was a board member of New Life Treatment Center in Woodstock. She was an amazing seamstress and loved to sew wedding dresses, coats, and many other things; she also enjoyed doing upholstery. She was an avid Twins' Fan. She was a very exacting, determined, caring, welcoming, optimistic, upbeat and kind person with a sharp and encyclopedic memory even through her last days.

She is survived by her two daughters, Mavis (Glen) Prins of Granite Falls, Minnesota and Ruth (Roger) Vanderpoel of Minneapolis, Minnesota; step-daughter, Sandra (Elroy) Santjer of Rapid City, South Dakota; daughter-in-law, Joyce Andersen of Faribault, Minnesota; grandchildren, Jon (Rebecca) Rysdam, David (Jennifer) Rysdam, Chad (Christi) Prins, Les (Geri) Prins, Mitchel Vanderpoel, Ross Vanderpoel, Ross (Sheryl) Santjer, Connie (Kurt) Prins Raney, Lana (Gerry) Prins Charles, Lisa (Michael) Santjer Simmons, Tamara Santjer, Melissa (Blake) Santjer Waddell, Doug (Connie) Ritsema, Curt (Teresa) Ritsema, Barbara (John) Steffens, and Kyle (Dawn) Kane; and Kristine Doornbos; numerous great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren; two brothers, Bill (Audrey) Veldhuizen of Stephensville, Texas and Ed (Janice) Veldhuizen of Fresno, California; and sister-in-law, Marie Veldhuizen of Edgerton, Minnesota. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Joe Rysdam and Hank Doornbos; son, Verlyn Rysdam; her parents; two sisters, Norma Veldhuizen and Wilma Kruisselbrink; and one brother, Elmer Veldhuizen.