83
Formerly of Beresford, SD
December 24, 2025
Mrs. Hilda Krommendyk, age 83, of Sioux Center, passed away on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, at Crown Pointe Estates in Sioux Center.
There will be a funeral service on Tuesday, December 30, at 6:30 pm, at the First Reformed Church in Hull. The Rev. Dave Van Kley and The Rev. Ross Van Kley will officiate. A time of refreshments and visitation with the family will follow the service at the church. A graveside service will take place on Wednesday, December 31, at 10:00 am, at the Valley View Cemetery in Rock Valley. The Oolman Funeral Home in Hull is in charge of arrangements.
Hilda June was born on June 9, 1942, in rural Rock Valley, one of twelve children born to Paul and Emma (Canigeiter) Lems. When she was a child, her family moved to Beloit, and Hilda attended country school. She eventually moved in with her eldest sister and brother-in-law in Hull, graduating from Western Christian High School—the place where she would later meet her true love. During her time as a student at Western Christian, she was also a school bus driver, which led to some legendary hijinks and folklore.
She was united in marriage to Berwyn “Ber” Krommendyk on November 8, 1960, in Hull. They briefly lived in Orange City before returning to Hull and starting their own family. Ber’s work led the family to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for a number of years, where Hilda was able to use her creativity making floral arrangements at Evelyn’s Floral Shop. They later moved to Omaha, Nebraska, and Hilda found work at Tilton’s Flower Shop and as a cook at Boys Town, where having cooked for such a large family in earlier years came in useful. Hilda loved floral arranging, both personally and professionally, and her home was always impeccably decorated with her latest designs. She was a champion of the hot glue gun, and, to her, nothing was unfixable with a little melted adhesive. As Hilda’s health became more of a challenge, the couple decided to retire to Beresford, South Dakota, to be closer to their daughters. In that time, they loved attending their granddaughter’s activities, meeting friends and family for meals, and going for long drives with no particular destination. In 2023, Hilda and Ber moved one last time to Sioux Center, where they were residents of the Crown Pointe Estates. Berwyn passed away on March 26, 2025, at a hospital in Sioux Falls. She and Ber had been together for more than 64 years on earth, and Hilda decided that she would not spend one Christmas without her love, passing away on Christmas Eve.
Hilda was currently a member of the First Reformed Church in Hull and was a former member of the First Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Falls, Christ Community Church in Omaha, and the Brooklyn Evangelical Free Church in Beresford. She enjoyed reading fiction, crafting, gardening, and cooking, and in earlier years, she looked forward to going swimming, often taking her girls to the pool. She was also an active parent, regularly acting as a room mother for her girls’ classrooms and spending many hours volunteering for the Central Christian School in Omaha. Hilda was a fierce advocate for the “underdog”, often donating her time and skills to individuals and organizations facing adversity. She could make a friend anywhere she went and would often know a stranger’s life history after one brief conversation. Her kindness, empathy, and quick sense of humor invited friendships from all walks of life, and she enjoyed the banter that came with those relationships. She was particularly known for her “Beloit Laugh”, the deep-bellied, hearty, contagious chuckle that was most unavoidable when watching any episode of “The Golden Girls” or “Everybody Loves Raymond”.
She will be deeply missed by her three daughters, Jody, and her husband, Dave Van Kley, of Sheldon; Kathy Van Kley, of Harrisburg, South Dakota; and Teri Beeson, of Beresford; five grandchildren, Dru Van Kley, Jade Van Kley, Kent (Marissa) Van Kley, and Ross (Olivia) Van Kley, and Isabelle Beeson; three great-grandchildren, Dosie Van Kley, Joah Van Kley, and Shiloh Van Kley; two sisters, Emma De Jong, of Orange City; and Ruth (Chuck) Oldenkamp, of Alexandria, Minnesota; two brothers, Clarence (Alice) Lems, of Canton, South Dakota; and Gerald (Cheryl) Lems, of Beloit; two sisters-in-law, Marge Lems, of Inwood; and Jan Lems, of Saugus, California; and a brother-in-law, Fred Krommendyk, of Orange City; along with numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by Ber’s parents, Fred and Della Krommendyk; three sisters, Grace (Dick) Dykstra, Maguerite (Hank) Moen, and Donna (Dean) Whitcomb; four brothers, John Lems, Bastian (Lorraine) Lems, Paul Lems, and George Lems; two sisters-in-law, Harriet (Roger) Sikma, and Jane Krommendyk; and two brothers-in-law, Bud (Luella) Krommendyk and Will (Sofie) Krommendyk.
Memorials will be given to the family for future designation.