March 15, 1935 – January 10, 2022

Funeral services for Harriet Kroontje, 86, of Leota, Minn., were held Monday, January 17, 2022, 10:30 a.m. at Bethel Christian Reformed Church in Leota with Pastor Dave Vander Leest officiating. Interment was in the Leota Community Cemetery.

Music was provided by pianist Dawn Ryswyk; special music, Going Home by Kent Van’t Hof; Scars in Heaven by Amy Schuld. Congregational hymns were Amazing Grace and How Great Thou Art.

Pallbearers were: Jon Kroontje, Amanda Starzl, Jason Schuld, Matthew Griggs, Adam Kroontje, Dennis Kroontje, Johnathon Sudenga, and Nicole Ross.

Honorary pallbearers were: Kim Huskey, Teresa Addington, Cassandra Miguel, April Veurink, Jesse Portner, Tracy Howe, Eric Kroontje, Sara Cady, Kali Barnes, Jessica Kroontje, Tiffany Speigner, Tanya Kroontje, Tara Sudenga, and Taylor Kroontje.

Harriet Ann (Hofkamp) Kroontje was born to Wm and Maggie (Evink) Hofkamp by Leota on March 15, 1935. She lived her first years on their farm south of Leota. When she was entering 3rd grade they moved onto the farm in Leota. When her brother John was born, their mother died. John was raised his first 9 months by neighbors and then came back home to Wm, Lydia, and Harriet. The girls kept house and took care of their little brother. She attended school in Leota and finished her education at Edgerton Public School.

She married Gerrit Kroontje on July 9, 1953, and to this marriage 9 children were raised. In those early married years they lived in Minnesota, Maryland, and then back to Minnesota where they started their life on a farm south of Leota. She worked at home with all aspects of raising their large family, field work, milking cows, and all the other chores involved with their farm. She taught all of her children to love and experience music.

Many years were spent in the Leota Café cooking and serving meals, and she truly enjoyed interacting with the people of the community.

Harriet was a lifelong member of the Leota Bethel Reformed Church where she was baptized and made her profession of faith. She was active in her church women’s group and the American Legion Auxiliary. She also enjoyed crocheting, sewing, and all aspects of music. Most of all she loved the time spent with her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Harriet is lovingly remembered by her husband of 68 years, Gerrit; children Virgil (Vickie) Kroontje of Port Orchard, Wash.; Wayne (Helen) Kroontje of Leota; Orla (Dale) Schuld of Edgerton; Paula (Jeff) Griggs of Milo, Iowa; Warren (Sharon) Kroontje of Sioux Falls, S.D.; Bryan (Astrid) Kroontje of Grafenwöhr, Germany; Darla (Chuck) Ostheimer of Sioux Falls; Lila Sudenga (Al Kasprowicz) of Luverne; Darin (Michelle) Kroontje of Sauk Centre, Minn.; 39 grandchildren and 37 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Marlene Hofkamp and Dorothy Ricehill and brother-in-law, Abe Westenberg, and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Wm. and Maggie Hofkamp, her brother, John Hofkamp, sister, Lydia Westenberg; and her in-laws and their spouses: Willie and Johanna Kroontje, Marvin and Janice Kroontje, John and Rachel Kroontje, and Bill and Katherine Vastenhout.