Alyda Hoekman

Alyda Hoekman, age 89, of Colton, SD, passed from this life and joined her Heavenly Father on August 27, 2010. A celebration of Alyda’s eternal life will be held at the Faith Community Church, Colton, SD on Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at 11 am with interment to follow at the Colton Cemetery. Viewing, with family presence, will be held Monday, August 30, 2010 from 6 to 7:30 pm at the Minnehaha Funeral Home, Colton, SD.

Alyda was born to Louis and Clara (Swier) VanDuyn on March 29, 1921 near Colton, SD. When she was six weeks old, her mother, Clara, passed away and she was then raised by her father and Dorothy (Vahl) Van Duyn. Alyda attended Lawndale Country School throughout her school years. She and her brother, Clarence, traveled to school by horseback or horse and buggy every day.

Alyda was united in marriage to Charles Hoekman on September 12, 1940 in Colton, SD. They made their home together in the Colton area. Their union was blessed by four children. Alyda was an active member of the Colton Christian Reformed Church her whole life where she served as church organist, Sunday school teacher, and participated in bible study and various other ladies’ groups. She also volunteered at Sioux Valley Hospital, Sioux Falls, SD as a Gray Lady for many years. She enjoyed music and spending time with family and friends.

In 2004, after suffering a stroke, Alyda left Colton, where she had lived her whole life, and moved to the Good Samaritan Center-Miller, SD where she resided for the next four years. In 2008, she became a resident of Oakview Terrace in Freeman, SD where she resided until her passing.

She is survived by three children: Norman (Jewell) Hoekman, Grand Rapids MI; Loraine “Lori” (Mike) Engel, Hermosa, SD; and Donna (Fred) Gose, Stone Mountain, Georgia; one son-in-law: Allan Eriksen, Colton, SD; nine grandchildren: Rachel (Mike) Binney; Sara (Tom) Akers; Todd (Heidi) Eriksen; Angela (Ray) Peterson; Nicole (David) Mehlhaf; Chanda Engel; Erin (Tim) Fauske; John Gose and Leah Gose; 16 great-grandchildren: Alexa, Kira, and Jenna Binney; Ethan, Judah, Samuel, and Ellianna Akers; Janelle, Kia and Paige Eriksen; Journey, Mesa and Justice Mehlhaf; Gabriel, Owen, and Jaiden Fauske; one brother: Adolph VanDuyn, Ripon, California; two sisters-in-law: Minnie VanDuyn, Colton, SD and Helen VanDuyn, Dell Rapids, SD; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Charles Hoekman, daughter, Millie Eriksen, grandson, Charles E. Gose, two brothers, Cornelius and Clarence VanDuyn, and two sisters, Nell VanDyk, and Gertrude VanLiere