Delma Vander Schaaf

Delma Vander Schaaf, age 88 of Sioux Center, Iowa died Wednesday, October 1, 2025 at the Friendly Horizons Assisted Living in Sioux Center.

Visitation will be held from 5-7PM, Friday, October 10, 2025, at Memorial Funeral Home in Sioux Center.

A prayer service will be held at 10AM, Saturday, October 11, 2025, at Faith Christian Reformed Church. Interment will follow the prayer service in Memory Gardens Cemetery in Sioux Center.

A memorial service will be held at 11AM, Saturday at Faith Christian Reformed Church with Reverend Dave Smit officiating.

Memorials may be directed to Friendly Horizons Alzheimer’s Chapter.

Delma Corinne (Rensink) Vander Schaaf was born in Sioux Center on January 13,1937 to Marinus and Bertha (Vreeman) Rensink, where she attended country school and then graduated from high school.

On March 28, 1956 she was united in marriage to Donald Gene Vander Schaaf in Sioux Center. Don served in the US Army in Germany until October 1, 1957 while Delma remained home working at the hospital and a grocery store.

Delma & Don farmed until 1963 when he started Don’s Digging Service and later Vander Schaaf Auctioneering. Through all this, Delma helped with books, raised a family and made many pounds of barbeque to serve at the auctions. When the kids were older, Delma started her favorite job, cooking at Dordt College which she did from 1983 to 2010. She loved attending Dordt sporting events, even taking a class to learn more about football when Dordt started that sport. She was always treated well by Dordt staff and had almost a permanent seat at Basketball games.

Delma was a charter member of the Faith Christian Reformed Church where she sang in the choir and eagerly helped with all events.

Don passed away in May of 2002 and Delma rose to become an independent traveler. She made numerous trips to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and New York to attend sporting events of her grandchildren. But her heart was always in Sioux Center. Many people heard her say proudly, “I’m Sioux Center from the womb to the tomb.”

For the last 5 years of her life, Delma was a resident at Friendly Horizons where she received the best care any of her kids could hope for. When we would call her, she would always say that the sun is shining in Sioux Center!

Left to cherish her memory are her 4 children and their spouses: David & Diane Vander Schaaf of Baraboo, WI, Diane & Ken Nywening of Goshen, NY, Debra & Michael Weg of Worthington, MN and Daniel and Jan Vander Schaaf of Jenison, MI. Ten grandchildren: Justin Vander Schaaf & Eisha Akbar, Danielle & Jesse Dillman , Kathryn & Tarek Yaeggi, Matthew & Jovanna Vander Schaaf, Kyle & Breanne Nywening, Kimberly Nywening, Madison & Zach Brickner, Mitchael & Lauren Weg, Courtney & Jalen Lubbers, and Morgan & Caleb Curtis. Along with 8 great grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister, Karen & Harm Oldenkamp, a brother, Merlyn Rensink and a brother-in-law, Leon Wichers.

She was preceded in death by her husband, mother and father and two sister-in-laws, Lois Wichers and Linda Rensink.