Gilbert Kuyper

GILBERT KUYPER was born on February 23, 1926 to Gilbert and Grace (Vander Wal) Kuyper on a farm in Rock County, Minnesota. He was raised on a farm in the Edgerton, Minnesota area where he started his education at a country school and then Edgerton Christian. When he was in the seventh grade, he moved with his parents to a farm near Holland, Minnesota, where he continued his education at the country school. He then helped his father on the farm. On February 3, 1945, he was drafted into the U.S. Navy and served during World War II. After his discharge on April 26, 1946, he returned to the farm near Holland. On January 8, 1950, he was united in marriage to Wilhelmina Overgaauw at the Christian Reformed Church in Holland, Minnesota. Following their marriage, they lived on a farm near Holland, Minnesota. In 1968, they purchased a farm north of Woodstock, Minnesota. Gilbert retired from farming in 1988, but they continued to live on the farm until 1991 when they built a new home in Pipestone, Minnesota. The couple lived in Pipestone and in 2015 Wilhelmina passed away. Gilbert moved to the Ridgeview Estates until November of 2018 when he entered into the care of the Good Samaritan Communities of Pipestone. He passed away peacefully there on Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at the age of 94 years and 10 days.

While living in the Holland-Woodstock area, he and his wife were members of the Christian Reformed Church in Holland where Gilbert served as an elder and a deacon. In 1973, Gilbert organized a singing group that is still going today. When they moved to Pipestone, they became members of the Christian Reformed Church here. Gilbert was a life member of the Earl Gruis American Legion Post 534 and had served as post commander. He was also a life member of the VFW Post 3814 and a member of the Golden K Club. He volunteered to deliver meals on wheels, and he was a volunteer driver for the Pipestone County transit. He enjoyed golfing, playing cards, and traveling.

He is lovingly remembered by his three children, Gloria Fischer and her husband Dan of Wadena, Minnesota, Marlyn Kuyper and his wife Pam of Holland, Minnesota, and Myron Kuyper and his wife Laurie of Valley Springs, South Dakota; eight grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and one sister, Cora Van Dyke of Pipestone, Minnesota. He was preceded in death by his wife, Wilhelmina; five infant great-grandchildren; his parents; one brother, John Kuyper; and one sister, Minnie Van Dyke.