A private family service for Priscilla Frances “Cilla” Spykerboer, age 91 of Ellsworth, MN was held October 1, 2020 at Jurrens Funeral Home in Rock Rapids, IA, with Rev. Roger Sparks officiating. Burial was at Riverview Cemetery in Rock Rapids. Priscilla died Monday, September 28, 2020 at Lyon Specialty Care in Rock Rapids. She was born on May 4, 1929 to Henry and Tena (Drost) Kelderman in rural Colton, SD. She was the eighth of thirteen children. She attended country schools in Hull, IA and Doon, IA and graduated from the 8th grade at Doon Christian School.
Priscilla was united in marriage to Bert Spykerboer on November 29, 1950 at the Doon Christian Reformed Church. Following their marriage, they lived on acreages southwest of Luverne, MN before moving to their farm near Ellsworth in 1965 where Jason presently lives. She continued living on the farm after Bert passed away on February 11, 2005 after 54 years of marriage. In 2019, two days before her 90th birthday, she suffered a stroke and moved to the Lyon Specialty Care Nursing Home in Rock Rapids. She was a member of the Luverne Christian Reformed Church for 69 years.
Priscilla was a hard-working farm wife and was known as a good cook. Many comments were made by the men who came to the Spykerboer farm to do silage work or hay baling, “You always get fed good at Priscilla’s table!” These thoughts carried on to her grandchildren as they remember Gram’s home-made angel food cakes, mac & cheese, pumpkin bread and almond patties. Priscilla also enjoyed embroidery work, and bowling for many years, in which she sponsored a team named, “Spykerboer Belts” which represented the Belted Galloway/Oreo cattle she and Bert raised on the farm. “The Old Rugged Cross” held special meaning to Priscilla as this was the first song she learned to play by ear on the piano which was a talent she was very proud of. Well into her 80’s, whenever the cattle broke out at the farm, she was always there to watch a gate or block a spot with her car and maybe even got a dent or two while doing it. She also enjoyed attending the sales at Jason’s barns and eating at the café. She loved the farm life and her door was always open for her kids, grandkids and great grandkids to stop in. She loved to visit and enjoyed coffee time anywhere and with anyone. Wherever she went, she knew someone, or she made a new friend.
On Monday morning, September 28 her struggles here on earth ended as she went to her Heavenly home.
Those left to cherish her memory are her five children, Carol (Chris) Boom, Larchwood, IA; Kevin (Paula) Spykerboer and Marilyn (Greg) Brommer, Rock Rapids, IA; David (Amy) Spykerboer, Beaver Creek, MN and Jason Spykerboer, Ellsworth, MN; 11 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; one sister, Jeanette Lems, Doon, IA; sister-in-law, Audrey Kelderman, Rock Valley, IA and sister-in-law/brother-in-law, John and Mary Brands, Edgerton, MN and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents: husband, Bert; six brothers, Al, Hank, Lawrie, Don, Alvin and Walter in infancy; and five sisters, Wilma, Caroline, Tena, Dorothy, and Wilmanette.
