Florence Sandbulte

     Florence Sandbulte, age 89, passed away Wednesday, August 25, 2021 surrounded by her family at Sioux Center Health.

     Funeral services will be 10:00 AM, Saturday, August 28, 2021 at Carmel Reformed Church of rural Rock Valley with Reverend Roger Voskuil, officiating.  Burial will follow in the Carmel Cemetery.

     Visitation will be Friday, August 27^th from 5:00 to 7:00 PM with family present at Carmel Reformed Church of rural Rock Valley.

     The Sandbulte family prefers memorials be directed the Carmel Church Music Fund.

Florence Sandbulte was the first born of Bernie and Henrietta Van’t Hof. She was born in the farm home near Alton, IA on November 10, 1931, and spent her childhood years in the Newkirk area. As a teen, she moved to Carmel, IA where she would spend her adult life. 

Florence graduated from Sioux Center High School in 1949 and went on to attend and graduate from Northwestern Jr. College as a teacher and musician. Florence remained a loyal Northwestern Red Raider fan her entire life. She began teaching country school in rural Carmel where she met and married the love of her life, Kenny Sandbulte. 

Florence and Kenny were married December 26, 1950 and hence began a married life that lasted nearly 60 years. Together, they raised 12 children on their family farm northwest of Carmel. During that time, Florence’s hands were never still as she fulfilled her many roles as mother, farmwife, protector and caretaker. 

When her children grew older, Florence began a new chapter in her life and began working outside the home at the Sioux Center Community Hospital. She was a nurses aid and surgical tech for more than 35 years. Her energy was renowned and she was quickly dubbed Flyin Flo by her co-workers. 

Music was central to Florence’s life. She was a very talented musician.  At age 16, she began playing the organ and piano at Carmel Church and played until her injury. She was a fixture at the organist bench and the Carmel congregation learned to sing hymns in Florence’s tempo. She also directed the Carmel choir and played for the Carmel Quartet. Her love for music and Carmel Church endured throughout her life. 

Florence is survived by her 12 children, Bonnie and Mike Hofmeyer of Sheldon, Nancy and Richard Dykstra of Sioux Center, Henry and Sue (Ter Hark) Sandbulte of Dayton, MN, Merlyn and Donna (Ellis) Sandbulte of Rock Valley, Lauren of Hull, Wendell and Robin (Hanten) of Hull, Brenda and Jim Shannon of Springfield, MO, Nolan and Sheila (Haan) Sandbulte of Sioux Center, Vicki and Glenn Vander Lugt of Hawarden, Shelley Timmer of Sioux Falls, SD, Pam and Rick Meitzler of Barrington Hills, IL, and Shawn and Jami (Vollink) Sandbulte of Rock Valley. There are 46 grandchildren, 72 with grandchildren’s spouses, 66 great grandchildren, and 1 great, great grandchild.

One sister and two brothers survive Florence; Betty Sandbulte of Sioux Center, Rodney and Karlene Van’t Hof of Sioux Center, and Gene and Becky Van’t Hof of Eden Prairie, MN. 

Joining Florence in Heaven is her husband Kenny, her grandson Graham Vander Lugt, her daughter-in-law Cathy Sandbulte, her parents Bernie and Henrietta Van’t Hof, and her brother Roger Van’t Hof. It is Florence’s deepest wish that all of us join them there.  “Be there.”