Lylas Mae Smidstra, 88, Luverne, died Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne.
A funeral service will be 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, at The American Reformed Church in Luverne. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery in Rock Rapids, Iowa. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. The Smidstra family requests masks be used during the visitation and funeral service.
Lylas Mae Jurrens was born July 23, 1933, to Everett and Juel (Feldman) Jurrens in Ellsworth. She was raised and received her education in Ellsworth.
She married Ben Smidstra on Dec. 3, 1958. They were blessed with two children, Charles and Joel. They lived on the family farm where Lylas helped with the day-to-day operations. Her first grandchild was born in August of 1985, and she devoted much of her time to helping care for her grandchildren. They spent many weekends and summers on the farm with Lylas and Ben.
Later in life, Lylas was employed for 20 years as a cook at the Rock Rapids Health Center.
She treasured time with her husband, her sons, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She enjoyed cooking and baking and always prepared special Sunday meals for her entire family.
She was an animal lover and had a special place in her heart for cats. She enjoyed going on bike rides down their gravel road, relishing in the harvest of her son Joel’s garden, and meeting up with family and special friends at the Pizza Ranch to celebrate birthdays and special occasions.
After significant health problems, Lylas moved to the Minnesota Veterans Home in February 2018. In October 2019, her husband, Ben, moved to the Minnesota Veterans Home and they were able to spend nearly all their time together. They enjoyed visiting, talking about old times, playing games, doing activities and singing hymns, among many other things.
Lylas is survived by her husband, Ben Smidstra of Luverne; son Charles Smidstra of Luverne; five grandchildren, Ben Smidstra of Luverne, Christina (Jose) Grijalva of Luverne, Bethany Smidstra (partner Brandon Englert) Rock Rapids, Iowa, Melissa (Fady) Smidstra of Michigan and Erin Smidstra (fiancé Jordan Jerke) of Sioux Falls; 15 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Delores Jurrens of Ellsworth; brother-in-law Joe Jeffer of Luverne; and many nieces, nephews, and other extended family.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Joel Smidstra; parents-in-law Charles and Reika Smidstra; two brothers-in-laws, Albert (Harriet) Smidstra and Bert (Albertha) Smidstra; and four sisters-in-laws, Jennie (Jack) Vande Weerd, Suzie (Hank) Kelderman, Jessie (Harvey) Wiersma and Wilma Jean Jeffer.
Arrangements were provided by Jurrens Funeral Home of Rock Rapids, Iowa, www.jurrensfuneralhome.com.