Caroline Rensink

Caroline Rensink, 81, of Boyden died peacefully at her residence, Friday, April 29, 2011. A visitation will be held Thursday from 4-8PM with the family present from 6-8PM at the First Reformed Church of Boyden. A funeral service will be held Friday at 10:30AM at First Reformed Church of Boyden with Rev. Matthew Draffen officiating. Interment will follow the service in Sheridan Township Cemetery of Boyden. Caroline Rensink, daughter of Norma (Appeldorn) and Walter Beermann of rural Paullina, Iowa was born at home on August 17, 1929. She grew up in Paullina, Iowa and graduated from Paullina High School. She attended secretarial school in Sioux City and worked for the Sioux City Grain Exchange. Caroline met her future husband Wendell Rensink at the Sheldon roller skating rink. They married at the Calumet Lutheran Church on June 18, 1950. Following marriage they farmed on the Rensink family farm north of Boyden. Wendell changed careers and went to work at Farmer's Savings Bank in Boyden for seven years. The couple then moved to Dixon, Iowa where Wendell managed First Trust and Savings Bank for four years before being promoted to the Wheatland, Iowa office. After seven years in Wheatland, they moved back to Boyden where the couple acquired ownership of the Farmer's Savings Bank. Caroline and Wendell established many close friendships in each town they lived in. Caroline worked as executive secretary in the bank and was active in the Lydia Circle Bible Study, Red Hat Ladies, and many civic activities. She was an Adult Sunday School teacher for many years and was the first woman elder in the history of the First Reformed Church of Boyden. Caroline enjoyed baking, gardening, boating on the river, and spending time with family. Her greatest legacy and joy was being a wonderful mother to her children and a loving grandmother to her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She is survived by her beloved husband of sixty years, Wendell Rensink Sr.; her children: Cynthia and Douglas Webb of Las Vegas, NV, Anita and Garth DeWulf of Wheatland, IA, Melanie and Tom Huibregtse of Fort Collins, CO, Wendell and Donna Rensink of Elbow Lake, MN, and Grace Liu of Boyden, IA; 15 grandchildren: Douglas Webb Jr., Matthew and Tania Webb, Betheny and Joe Perez all of Las Vegas, Megan and Dan Ross of Boyden, IA, Aaron and Candice DeWulf, Rachael and John Looney, Ariell and Matt Connelly all of Wheatland, IA, Rebecca and Adam Wilhelm of Calamus, IA, Heath Rensink of Fargo, ND, Brent and Sarah Rensink of Grand Forks, ND, Lauren and Marie Huibregtse of Fort Collins, CO, Gini, Tina, and Peter Liu of Boyden, IA: 20 great-grandchildren, two sisters: Bea Laursen of Mitchell, SD, Betty and Brian Engelke of Sutherland, IA; five brothers: Ronald and Betty Beermann of Paullina, IA, Merle and Jan Beermann of Lake View, AR, Merlin and Jen Beermann of Sheldon, Henry and Carol Andersen of Hartley, IA, and Brad Andersen of Des Moines, IA as well as numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her infant son Eber Brent Rensink, her infant sister Luella, and her sister Darlene Blumeyer.