January 27, 1977 – June 29, 2025

Kimberly “Kim” Joy Bleyenburg, 48, of Sioux Falls, S.D., passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 29, 2025, at her parents’ home in Sioux Falls, following a seven-year battle with cancer.  Her graveside service was 9:30 a.m.,  Thursday, July 3, 2025, at Hills of Rest Cemetery, followed by her Celebration of Life at 11:00 a.m. at First Christian Reformed Church, Sioux Falls.   

Kimberly Joy Van Kekerix was born in Sioux Falls, to Gene and Marge (DeBoer) Van Kekerix. She attended grade school at Calvin Christian, high school at Sioux Falls Christian, and graduated from the University of Sioux Falls.  Kim began her early childhood career at Volunteers of America before beginning her 21 year career at Central Baptist as a Pre-School teacher.  She loved teaching young children.  In her words, they were excited to learn and would soak up everything.  She had a special love for all her students and was fondly referred to as “Ms. Kim.” 

In 2000 Kim married Cory Bleyenburg.  They lived in Sioux Falls where they raised their three boys, Kade, Carver, and Cannon. Raising her three sons was the greatest joy of her life.  She loved being their mom, spending as much time as possible with them, always encouraging them, inspiring them to have the love of Jesus in their hearts, going to all of their activities and spending every possible summer weekend with them at the lake.    

On September 14, 2018, Kim was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. After receiving the terminal diagnosis, and when she was at her lowest level she could ever imagine, Kim made a choice to choose joy and thank God for all situations.  She was determined to fight cancer by leaning on God and let Him show her the plans that He had for her which were obviously not the plans she originally had for herself.  Romans 15:13 was her source of strength and it became her mission to inspire others by her example to choose joy and discover hope through the power of the Holy Spirit when facing unimaginable situations.   

Grateful for having shared her life are her three children, Kade, Carver, and Cannon and their father, Cory; her parents, Gene and Marge Van Kekerix of Sioux Falls; her sister, Kristi Hansen (Mike) of Sioux Falls; special niece, Cidney Hansen of Sioux Falls; parents-in-law, Denny and Aud Bleyenburg of Edgerton, Minn; sister-in-law, Gina Bleyenburg of Sioux Falls; brother-in-law, Kyle Bleyenburg (Kate) of Sioux Falls; sister-in-law, Jill Smith (Eric) of Sioux Falls; brother-in-law, Kirk Bleyenburg (Megan) of Edgerton; and sister-in-law, Kara Knoll (Josh) of Brandon, S.D.; and a host of other relatives and friends.  

Kim was preceded in death by her grandparents, Bill and Tena Van Kekerix and John and Dorothy DeBoer.