Cover photo for Joann Veldkamp's Obituary
Joann Veldkamp Profile Photo
1953 Joann 2017

Joann Veldkamp

January 7, 1953 — August 12, 2017

JOANN RUTH VELDKAMP was born to Harry and Ruth (Gilmore) Morrill on January 7, 1953 in Madison, South Dakota where her parents farmed. She attended school in Madison and graduated from Madison High School in 1971. During her senior year of high school, she began working as a bookkeeper and continued in that position after graduation. At an early age, she began to correspond with her future husband. Their courtship lasted throughout their teenage years and they were married on June 10, 1972. Following their marriage, they moved to a farm near Jasper, Minnesota. After moving, JoAnn worked a short time at the Jasper Journal before taking a secretarial job at the Jasper Elementary School. In 1973, Jim and JoAnn purchased the farm that they would make their home. JoAnn quit working at the elementary school in 1975 to work on their farm full time. Until 2000, she worked side by side with Jim, helping him as they built their farm. She was the farm's bookkeeper and she especially enjoyed helping to start the freshly weaned pigs as they came to the farm. JoAnn was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in March, 2000, and was no longer able to continue to do the physical labor on the farm she had once enjoyed so much. She was still able to help during harvest operating the grain cart, and she continued to do the bookkeeping. In July, 2015, she was diagnosed with advanced stage ovarian cancer. She approached the treatment of her disease with the same stubborn determination that had seen her and Jim through every challenge they had ever faced. Her treatment was very aggressive and frequently debilitating, but through it all she maintained her hope and determination. By the summer of 2017 it had become apparent that there could be no more beneficial treatment of the cancer. She was once again admitted to Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Thursday, August 10, 2017 where she quietly passed away on Saturday, August 12, 2017 at the age of 64.

JoAnn made her choice to serve God at an early age and she remained faithful to that commitment until her death. She was very active in her community, serving on several boards, and helping Jim fulfill his responsibilities on the boards he served on. JoAnn spent 27 years as an EMT on the Jasper Community Ambulance. During that time, she spent several years as secretary and treasurer of the ambulance board. While Jennifer was in the Pipestone-Jasper High School Marching Band, JoAnn served on the band board, chaperoned competitions and trips, and was responsible for the uniforms. She also was actively involved in local efforts to promote pork by helping Jim and others grill and serve pork at various events. JoAnn loved flowers and she took great pleasure in maintaining her yard. She was a natural hostess. Jim and JoAnn's farm served as a backdrop for many family and class reunions in addition to countless gatherings of family and friends. The Pipestone Vet Clinic often used their farm to host international visitors.

She is lovingly remembered by her husband Jim Veldkamp of Jasper, MN; her daughter, Jennifer (Dean) Lerwick of Lyman, Nebraska; three grandchildren, Kate, Ella and Will; two sisters, Lois (Ervin) Hanssen of Sioux Falls, SD; and Shirley Blase of Madison, SD; one brother, Wendell (Judy) Morrill of Bozeman, MT; several nieces and nephews; and a host of friends. She is preceded in death by her parents; and brothers-in-law, Verlyn Veldkamp and Dean Blase.

To send flowers to the family in memory of Joann Veldkamp, please visit our flower store.

Service Schedule

Past Services

Visitation

Thursday, August 17, 2017

4:00 - 8:00 pm (Central time)

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Service

Friday, August 18, 2017

Starts at 10:30 am (Central time)

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Burial

Jasper City Cemetery

Jasper, MN, US, MN 00000

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