Lori Punt

Lori Punt, 56, of Hull, IA, died Thursday, October 9, 2014, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls after an heroic battle with cancer. A visitation will be held on Sunday from 2-8PM, with the family present from 2-4PM at the Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center. A prayer service for family and friends will be held on Monday at 10AM at the Middleburg Free Grace Reformed Church of Middleburg, IA. Interment will follow the prayer service in Capel Township Cemetery of Middleburg. A memorial service will be held on Monday at 11AM at the Middleburg Free Grace Reformed Church of Middleburg, IA with Rev. Stephen Breen officiating. The Punt family prefers memorials to Inspiration Hills Camp and Retreat Center, 1242 280th Street, Inwood, IA 51240. Loretta "Lori" Eileen Van Der Wilt was born on June 27, 1958 to Gerrit (Gary) and Eunice (Jouwstra) Van Der Wilt in Sioux Center, Iowa. Lori was raised on the family farm near Middleburg, Iowa and received her education through the 12th grade at Boyden-Hull Community Schools. She graduated from Wayne State College in 1980 with a degree in Family and Consumer Sciences. Lori met Harv Punt when they were counselors at Inspiration Hills, and were married two years later. Lori and Harv made their first home in Wayne, Nebraska where Harv was employed. While in Wayne, Lori and Harv had their first taste of parenting while serving as foster parents for a special needs boy named Joey. Lori and Harv moved to a acreage south of Hull, Iowa in 1982. While living in Hull, Lori spent a few years working at Heritage House Nursing Home in Orange City. She also assisted with the bookkeeping for their business, H & L Enterprises. For the past 21 years she had been employed at Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon, Iowa in the Continuing Ed Department. She made many special friendships during this time, and the staff became a second family. Lori was a Pampered Chef consultant for the last 13 years and enjoyed the relationships she made through the group and her sales. Lori delighted in assisting various groups with fundraisers through Pampered Chef. Lori was a member of Middleburg Free Grace Reformed Church her entire life, except while living in Wayne where they were members of the Evangelical Free Church. Lori loved to serve in her church; she had been an organist and participated in Mary and Martha Circles. Lori relished teaching others about Christ in Sunday School and Youth Groups. She also was active in Cursillo and TEC. Lori had many interests including sewing, baking and attending various activities of those who were special to her. Time spent camping with family was important, as well as traveling to North Redington Beach, Florida. She was well known for the love and care she showed for her family, and her desire that they should come to know the Lord as their Savior. Like her mother before her, Lori's true passion was sharing with her kids and grandchildren that no matter what, Jesus ALWAYS loves us. Left to cherish her memory is her husband of 36 years, Harvard Punt of Hull and her children: Heidi and Dan Oolman of Orange City, Nathan and Kristi Punt of Sheldon. Lori dearly loved her grandchildren: Haylee, Paul and Jocelynn Oolman and Audrey, Claire and unborn Punt child due in January 2015; her sisters, brother, their spouses and their families: Evonne and Gary Blankers of Sioux City; Sharla and Jim Clemens of Orange City; Franklin and Beth Van Der Wilt of Orange City; her step-mother, Muriel Kanengieter of Sheldon; step-sisters, step-brother and their families: Sherri and Dan Kadlec of Bloomington, MN; Bruce and Judi Blankers of Sheldon, Kari and Ryan Van Donge of Sioux Falls, SD. Lori was also survived by her mother-in-law, Arlene Bidwell of Sioux Center, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and their families: Roger and Nancy Punt of Renville, MN, Wanda and Alex Peat of Sioux Center, Bernard and Pamela Punt of Sioux Center, Edwin and Cheryl Punt of Efland, NC, Jane Case of Sioux Center, Mary and Donald Morfitt of Woodbridge, VA, Carol and Vincent Yusten of Sioux Falls, SD, step-sister-in-law, Christine Richards of KS and step-brothers-in-law: Christopher (Bob) Bidwell and Chane Bidwell and families both of Overton, NE. Preceding Lori in death were her parents, Gerrit and Eunice Van Der Wilt; an infant brother, Gaylin Merle; her fathers-in-law: Ralph Punt and Forrest Bidwell and a nephew, Jason Gernandt.