HAINJE, GERALDINE M. - Minnehaha County, South Dakota | GERALDINE M. HAINJE - South Dakota Gravestone Photos

Geraldine M. HAINJE

Dell Rapids Cemetery - Dell Rapids Cemetery
Minnehaha County,
South Dakota

Cornelius "Neil" Hainje was born on December 1, 1918 on a farm near Stickney, South Dakota, the son of William and Hendrika (DeBoer) Hainje. The fourth of eight children, he grew up and attended school in the Stickney area. As a young man, Neil moved to Valley Springs, SD and worked on farms in the area. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from February 1942 until February 1946. After extensive training in the U.S. he was assigned to the South Pacific where he participated in many island invasions. He was wounded and was awarded the Purple Heart. Following his discharge, Neil returned to Valley Springs where he met Geraldine "Jerry" Leach. They were married on November 21, 1948 in Cedar Rapids, IA. The couple soon moved to Logan Township and to their farm near Dell Rapids, SD in 1950. That farm was home to the Hainje family until Neil and Jerry moved to Orchard Hills in Dell Rapids in 2002.

Neil died on Tuesday, January 6, 2004 at Orchard Hills in Dell Rapids at the age of 85. He was preceded in death by his son, Roger; his parents, two brothers and two sisters.

Neil and his family were proud of his membership and leadership in the Lutheran Church of Dell Rapids, the Dell Rapids American Legion Post #65, South Dakota, Assn. of Town and Townships, 4-H, South Dakota Farm Bureau, Dell Rapids CO-OP Grain, Logan Township, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Those left to cherish Neil's memory are his wife, Jerry of Dell Rapids; his daughter, Mary Beth Medema and her husband, Bruce of Sioux Falls; his sons, Steven Hainje and his wife, Marqueta of Maple Grove, MN, Douglas Hainje and his wife, Christie of Dell Rapids and Richard Hainje and his wife, Becky of Overland Park, KS; his 9 grandchildren, Leslie, Joseph, David, Thomas, Daniel, Michael, Matthew, Jonathan, and Michelle; his great grandson, Logan; his brother, John Hainje and wife Helen of Kansas City, MO and his sisters, Margaret Streelman, of Bellfower Ca. and Reckie South Field of Ontario, CA., and a host of other relatives and friends.

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Geraldine M. Hainje
(January 23, 1917 - October 16, 2010)

Geraldine "Jerry" Hainje was born January 23, 1917 in Sioux Falls to George and D. Violet Leach. She passed away at the Good Samaritan Center Sioux Falls on October 16, 2010 at the age of 93 years.

Jerry attended school in Sioux Falls and graduated from Augustana College in 1941. She taught English and music at Valley Springs and Hartford High Schools prior to her marriage to Neil Hainje in November, 1948. Neil and Jerry farmed near Dell Rapids and remained on the ‘Hainje' farm following retirement--- a total of 52 years, prior to their move to Orchard Hills in Dell Rapids in 2002.

Grateful for the privilege of sharing her life are her daughter, Mary (Bruce) Medema, son, Douglas (Christie) Hainje and son, Richard (Becky) Hainje, nine grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, many friends and other relatives. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Neil, dear sons, Roger and Steven, her parents and her sister, Olive Leach.

Family, friendships, faith and music filled her life with love and purpose. Jerry was a woman who enjoyed serving and sharing her talents and faith with others. She could often be found at the piano, in accompaniment or in performance. For decades she shared her musical gifts at church and for countless other events and special occasions throughout the community and the region. Jerry had an upbeat, memorable style on the keyboard, tempting those present to sing along and certainly to tap their feet. Her children, and later grandchildren, went to sleep many nights to the sounds of her piano.

Jerry was an active member of the Lutheran Church of Dell Rapids, ALCW, the American Legion Auxiliary, Minnehaha County Extension, 4-H, Minnehaha County Republican Party, Farm Bureau and other organizations.

For the past 5 years, Good Samaritan Center Sioux Falls has been her home. The Hainje family is grateful to Dr. B. and the Good Samaritan Center staff for their caring hands and loving hearts throughout her final years.

Contributed on 4/28/12 by dellsfig68
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Record #: 158846

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Additional HAINJE Surnames in DELL RAPIDS CEMETERY - DELL RAPIDS Cemetery

Additional HAINJE Surnames in MINNEHAHA County

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Submitted: 4/28/12 • Approved: 4/28/12 • Last Updated: 8/14/15 • R158846-G158845-S3

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