Shirley R. Harskamp

SHIRLEY R. HARSKAMP, 77, of Sioux Center died unexpectedly Sunday, 10/29, at the Sioux Center Community Hospital.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, 11/1, at 10am at the Bethel Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center with Rev. Wayne Sneller officiating. Interment will follow in Memory Gardens Cemetery of Sioux Center.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, 10/31, from 2pm to 8pm, with the family present from 6pm to 8pm at the Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center.

The Harskamp Family prefers memorials to American heart Association.

Shirley Ruth (De Jager) Harskamp was born February 22, 1929 near Maurice, Iowa. She was raised on the family farm near Maurice and attended country school. She went on to graduate from Maurice High School with the Class of 1947. She received her teaching certificate a few months later and taught country school near Maurice for two years.

On June 23, 1950, Shirley was united in marriage to John Harskamp in Maurice. After their marriage the couple moved to California to work for a dairy. After two years they returned to live in the Sioux Center area with John engaged in farming and Shirley working for Dr. Merrill Wallinga and Dr. Gerald Vande Garde Vetrinary Clinic. The couple was blessed with two children. The family moved to the Boyden area in 1962 where they continued to farm until Johns unexpected death on May 17, 1982. At that time Shirley settled in Sioux Center.

Shirley became employed at Vans Poultry and later Groschopp Manufacturing. After retiring she became a devoted participant in the Foster Grandparent Program. She was a longtime member of the Netherlands Reformed Congregation.

Shirley enjoyed working and cooking. She cherished the time she spent with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She had many dear friends and loved to spend time with them as well as helping anyone in need.

Surviving are her daughter, Leanne Johns-Miller and her husband John of Knoxville, IA, and her son, Dan Harskamp and his wife, Nyla of Orange City; four grandchildren: Cody (Pam) Harskamp of Sibley, Tara (Dean) Dekkers of Ireton, Camilla (Ryan) Beukelman of Boyden and Dustin (Amanda) Harskamp of Ankeny; six great grandchildren: Bryce Harskamp, Damon, Lane, Ella, Anaka Dekkers, Kellen Beukelman. Shirley is also survived by two sisters-in-law: Marge (Bud) Lems of Beloit, IA and Trish Harskamp of Storm Lake, IA along with a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

In addition to her husband of 31 years, Shirley was preceded in death by a son-in-law, Larry Lee Johns; her parents; sister and brother-in-law, Bernice and Fred Fisher; two brothers: Merlyn and Wayne De Jager; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Jake and Bess Harskamp and two brothers-in-law: Jim Van Kekerix and Don Harskamp.