Jeanette Top

Memorials may be directed to the Sanford Luverne Hospice Cottage.

JEANETTE TOP was born on November 22, 1924 to John and Maggie (Buyert) VanDerWeerd in Steen, Minnesota. She grew up in the Steen and Lester, Iowa, area and attended country school through the eighth grade. The oldest of six children, she worked on the family farm. As her father died when she was 17 years old, Jeanette and her siblings took on a large role in running the farming operation. In addition, she also worked at the Hills Creamery and as a telephone operator. On November 10, 1948, Jeanette was united in marriage to Bernie Top at the Steen Reformed Church in Steen. The couple began their life together, raising a family and farming near Edgerton, Minnesota, and Valley Springs, South Dakota, until 1969 when they settled on a farm near Luverne, Minnesota. Jeanette worked part-time for many years as a Certified Nurses Aid. She was employed at area nursing homes and at the Luverne Community Hospital in the newborn nursery. She very much loved caring for the babies. In 1997, she formally retired. As Jeanette enjoyed music, she remained very busy as she and her siblings would travel around the area playing music at area nursing homes and other small venues. In 2012, she and Bernie moved into the Tuff Village in Hills. Bernie preceded her in death on May 26, 2015. In March 2019, Jeanette moved into the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills. On Monday, June 24, 2019, while under care at the Sanford Luverne Hospice Cottage, Jeanette went to be with her Lord at the age of 94 years, seven months and two days.

Jeanette received her baptism in January 1925 at the Steen Reformed Church. She was currently a member of the Christian Reformed Church in Luverne. She loved music and playing the piano, which she was doing until the last few months. She was a talented seamstress and sewed many clothing items through the years. She was proud to present a quilt to each one of her grandchildren made by her hands. She will be remembered for being hardworking and a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her strong faith in God and trust in Him serves as a wonderful example to her family and others. With every visit, she would always remind others, “I am so blessed!”

Jeanette is lovingly remembered by her five children: Brenda (Glenn) Schaap of Sioux City, Iowa, Marlon Top of Steen, Minnesota, Terry Top of Schererville, Indiana, Brian (Gloria) Top of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Nancy (Drew) Schelhaas of Sioux Falls; 13 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; five siblings, Henry (Dorothy) VanDerWeerd of Sioux Falls, Wilma DeRoo of Brandon, South Dakota, Henrietta Timmer of Sioux Falls, Edna Jongerius of Sioux Falls, Mae (Jerry) Tinklenberg of Palo Alto, California; and two sisters-in-law, Joan Fransman of Hills, Minnesota, and Rena Top of Milaca, Minnesota. She was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, Bernie, and her parents.