James G. Veldkamp

JAMES GORDON VELDKAMP was born on a farm near Valley Springs, South Dakota on October 17, 1934 to Arend and Angie (Achterhoff) Veldkamp. He attended grade school in Valley Springs and Hills, Minnesota. The family moved to a farm near Hills, where his father passed away at a young age leaving his mother, Angie, to raise their large family by herself. In 1948, his mother purchased a farm near Chandler, Minnesota and moved the family, where Jim then completed his education. On June 7, 1955 Jim was united in marriage to Frances Bruxvoort in the Chandler Reformed Church. Jim worked as a farm laborer near Iona, Minnesota where their first son, Daniel James, was born. The following year the family moved to the Luverne, Minnesota area where Jim also held a farm laborer position. In 1956 the family moved into Luverne and over the next years Jim worked at various car dealers and service stations. Jim and Frances added a second son, Jody Allen, to the family in 1959. In 1965 Jim purchased a service station located on South Highway 75. In the early 1970s he earned his GED certificate. A five year old daughter, Penni Marie, joined their family in 1977. Jim’s business grew from only gasoline service into a car repair shop, 24-hour towing service and a used car dealership over the next 33 years. In 1988, part of the business was sold. Jim retained the car sales portion of the business, operating it until he retired in 2000. Jim remained active in his retirement years, driving clients to New Life Treatment in Woodstock, Minnesota and volunteering wherever he was needed. As a result of his health and care needs, Jim became a resident at the Good Samaritan Communities in Luverne in February 2016. On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 while at the Sanford Luverne Hospice Cottage, Jim went to be with his Lord and Savior at the age of 82 years, five months and 25 days.

Jim was baptized in the Valley Springs Reformed Church and later made his profession of faith in the Chandler Reformed Church. He was currently a member of the American Reformed Church in Luverne, where he had served as a Deacon. Jim enjoyed his hobby of restoring old tractors until his health would no longer allow. He lived a life of quiet faith by loving and providing for his family and serving his customers with quality service and friendship.

Jim is lovingly remembered by his wife, Frances; two sons, Daniel (Linda) Veldkamp and Jody (Lori) Veldkamp all of Greenwood, Indiana; three grandchildren, Kierstin Veldkamp, Amanda Veldkamp and Keaton Veldkamp; five siblings, Clazina (Henry) Van Wyhe of Brandon, South Dakota, Grace (Lou) Charette of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Marvin (Leona) Veldkamp of Brandon, Alvin (Shirley) Veldkamp of Sioux Falls, and Arlene (Norman) Haak of Oakes, North Dakota; two sister-in-laws, Caroline Veldkamp of Dell Rapids, South Dakota, and Hendrene Van Wyhe of Hills, Minnesota; and other family and friends. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Penni Damon; three grandchildren, Mandi, Cody and Katie Vande Kieft; parents, Arend and Angie Veldkamp; four siblings, Alice Van Hill, Engbert “Bert” Veldkamp, Marcus “Mike” Veldkamp and Arnold Veldkamp.