Arthur Broekhuis

Arthur “Broek” Broekhuis was born to Art and Mary (Brink) Broekhuis on June 20, 1926, in Edgerton, Minnesota. He attended Edgerton Christian Elementary School and attended Southwest Christian High School for two years.  He worked at Jolink Bakery and Brink Hatchery as a young boy.  Later he worked for the Chuck Hanenburg Feed Grinding business.  In August 1944 he was inducted into the army during World War II.  After basic training, he served in the European Theater in France and Germany.  During the war, his cousin and army companion was killed by enemy fire near St. Avoid, France.  In 2001, he had the opportunity to travel to Europe to visit Leslie Brink’s grave at Lorraine American Military Cemetery in France.  After discharge from the army, he worked for his dad in the trucking business. 

 Arthur was united in marriage to Clarice Vander Sluis of Holland, Minnesota, on March 27, 1951.  Their union was blessed with five children.  In 1952, he bought the trucking business from his dad and had a partnership with Johann Gulker.  Later he had partnerships with Wes Henriks, Pete Gilman, and Cornie Den Ouden.  He hauled many loads of hogs to the Hormel Plant in Austin in those years.  He also hauled livestock to Sioux Falls stockyards, and grain for farmers.  He sold his business in 1981 and worked for several local trucking firms.  After 40 years, he retired from trucking.  He then drove school bus for Luverne Christian School Society, driving students back and forth from Luverne area to Edgerton Christian.  In 2005 he retired after driving for Luverne Christian School for 14 years.  He continued as a substitute school bus driver and drove for school activities at SWCH.

He was a lifetime member of the First Christian Reformed Church of Edgerton.  He was a member of the American Legion since his discharge from the army.  He bowled on a league at Aqua Lanes for many years.  He played on various softball teams in his younger years.  His other hobbies were golfing, camping, and visiting with family and friends.  Arthur was known for his ability to “shoot the bull.”  In 2001 he was awarded an honorary high school diploma as a World War II Veteran by the State of Minnesota.  Arthur became a resident of the veterans home in Luverne, Minnesota, in November 2017, where he resided until his death on June 19, 2018, at the age of 91 years.
Arthur is lovingly remembered by his wife Clarice of 67 years and five sons, Dennis Broekhuis of Worthington, Minnesota; Rodney (Fonda) Broekhuis of Roseville, Minnesota; Daryl (Colett) Broekhuis of Everett, Washington; Byron (Mary) Broekhuis of Sioux Center, Iowa; Arlyn (Bev) Broekhuis of Sioux Falls, South Dakota;  grandchildren, Heather (Tim) Van Hofwegen; Heide (Chris) Handy; Darren (Abbie) Broekhuis; Matthew Broekhuis; Jared (Ann) Broekhuis; Rebecca Broekhuis and fiancé Adam Shaw; Laura (Ben) Brown; Paul Broekhuis; Tyler (Katie) Broekhuis and Jordan Broekhuis;  15 great-grandchildren, Cannon, Colton, Cody Brown; Jamuson Handy; Hannah, Kayla, Ella, Emily Van Hofwegen; Camden, Hadley, Kyler Broekhuis; James Arthur, Luke Arlyn Broekhuis; Coen, Kennedy Brown;  Sisters Millie Hendriks, Anna Marie Hunter, Ethel (Don) Wisse and Lorraine (Harold) De Groot.  Arthur was preceded in death by his parents, Art and Mary (Brink) Broekhuis; sisters, Ethel Margaret and Caroline Van Hulzen;l brother Donley Broekhuis; and two brothers-in-law, Wes Hendriks and Duane Hunter.

  Memorials may be sent to Hope Haven.

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