Gerrit L. Kuipers

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Gerrit Kuipers Funeral Service

Gerrit Leroy Kuipers was born on November 11, 1939 to Isaac and Matilda (Vander Vliet) Kuipers in Hull, IA and was raised on the family farm. He attended rural school and graduated from Hull High School. He then furthered his education and moved to Chicago, IL to attend Chicago Technical College for civil engineering. In June 1961, he began working for the Illinois Highway Department. On September 1, 1962, Gerrit was united in marriage to Carol Gremel at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, IN. They resided in Oak Park, IL until moving to Fort Wayne, IN in March 1964. Gerrit then began working for the Indiana Highway Department. A short time later, they moved to a farm near Roanoke, IN. Gerrit continued his job with the highway department while also farming, which was his passion. In December 1979, the family moved to a farm near Jasper, MN. In addition to farming, Gerrit worked for the Rock County Highway Department. Over the next years, they moved to an acreage near Luverne from November 1989 to 1997, into Luverne from 1997 to May 2001. He returned to the farm near Jasper briefly while building their home in Beaver Creek, MN. Gerrit retired from the highway department on December 31, 2005. In 2022, the couple moved to Bethany Home in Brandon, SD. Carol preceded Gerrit in death on June 17, 2023. On Sunday, August 20, 2023, while at Bethany Home, Gerrit joined her in heaven at the age of 83 years, nine months and nine days.

Gerrit was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Jasper where he sang in choir, served as an Elder, officer for AAL/Thrivent and on various church boards. He also participated in dart ball, Men’s Club, bowling league and Couples Club. While in Chicago, he was a member of Sigma Phi Delta - Iota Chapter. Gerrit was also a member of Holly Hoppers Square Dance Club. He enjoyed woodworking, fishing, golf, traveling, painting, comedy club and playing shuffleboard. For 29 years, he also enjoyed spending winters with Carol and other friends in Apache Junction, Arizona.