Bernice Rysdam Doornbos


Bernice Rysdam Doornbos, 99, Woodstock, died Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019 at the Pipestone County Medical Center in Pipestone.

Funeral services were held Saturday, Nov. 9 at the American Reformed Church in Woodstock with Rev. Brian Dengler officiating.

Honorary casket bearers were Connie Prins Raney, Lana Prins Charles, Lisa Santjer Simmons, Tamara Santjer and Melissa Santjer Waddell.

Casket bearers were Jon Rysdam, Chad Prins, Mitchel Vanderpoel, Ross Santjer, David Rysdam, Les Prins and Ross Vanderpoel.

Interment was in the Woodstock Cemetery, Woodstock.

Bernice Frances Rysdam Doornbos was born on Sept. 29, 1920 to William Christian “Chris” and Hattie (Zwart) Veldhuizen in Battle Plain Township, Rock County, Minn. She attended country school in Battle Plain Township through the eighth grade. Upon completion of her education, she helped out on the farm. She was fluent in Dutch, which shespoke with her parents until her teenage years. She began to go deaf in her teens and after she received hearing aids she did very well through the years.

In October 1940 she married Jonathan Joseph “Joe” Rysdam at her parents’ home in Pipestone County. They were blessed with three children, Verlyn Jay, Mavis Lee and Ruth Maureen. In 1957 she began working as a nurse’s aide at the Ashton Memorial Hospital and the Good Samaritan Home in Pipestone until the mid 1980’s. On May 1, 1974, her son, Verlyn, preceded her in death. On May 12, 1975, Joe preceded her in death.

She married Henry Gilbert Doornbos in September of 1981 at the American Reformed Church in Woodstock. Following their marriage, they lived on a farm on Highway 30. She was preceded in death by Hank on Dec. 19, 1994. After his death she continued to live on the farm until 1997 when she moved into Woodstock where she and her sister, Wilma, had an upholstery business.

On Oct. 3, 2014 she moved to Ridge View Estates in Pipestone. After a fall at her home she was taken to the Pipestone County Medial Center on Nov. 5.

She was the last charter member of the American Reformed Church in Woodstock where she taught Sunday school, sang in the choir, and was active in Bible Study and Ladies Aid. She was a board member of New Life Treatment Center in Woodstock.

She is survived by her two daughters, Mavis (Glen) Prins, Granite Falls and Ruth (Roger) Vanderpoel, Minneapolis; step-daughter, Sandra (Elroy) Santjer, Rapid City, S.D.; daughter-in-law, Joyce Andersen, Faribault; 17 grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren; two brothers, Bill (Audrey) Veldhuizen, Stephensville, Texas and Ed (Janice) Veldhuizen, Fresno, Calif. and sister-in-law, Marie Veldhuizen, Edgerton.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, Joe Rysdam and Hank Doornbos; son, Verlyn Rysdam; her parents; two sisters, Norma Veldhuizen and Wilma Kruisselbrink and one brother, Elmer Veldhuizen.

(Hartquist Funeral Home,

Pipestone Chapel)