Wilamene Schoolmeester

Wilamene Schoolmeester was born on September 17, 1925, to John and Grace (DeVries) DeKruif near Maple Lake, Wright County, Minnesota. When she was three years old, the family moved to the Chandler, Minnesota area. She was baptized and confirmed in the Christian faith and attended school through the eighth grade. On March 26, 1943, Wilamene was united in marriage to Clarence Schoolmeester on her parents’ home near Chandler. Following their marriage, the couple lived on a farm near Leota, Minnesota and later on a farm near Kenneth, Minnesota. Clarence preceded her in death on June 19, 1947. At this time, Wilamene and their two young boys moved into Kenneth for a short time before moving to Edgerton, Minnesota. Wilamene worked on the farm and then the Huisken’s Department Store for almost 30 years. She also worked in the kitchen at the Edgerton Public School for seven years and babysat her Pastor’s children for a number of years. Following her retirement, Wilamene continued to live in Edgerton. She later moved from her home to the Edgebrook Estates, and on June 19, 2018 she became a resident at the Edgebrook Care Center. On Thursday, October 3, 2019 Wilamene died peacefully at the Pipestone County Medical Center in Pipestone, Minnesota at the age of 94 years and 16 days.

Wilamene was a faithful member of the First Reformed Church in Edgerton. Through her life, she held firm in her faith in the Lord and was resilient in any challenge that came upon her. She will be remembered for her humility and always showing care and concern for others.

She is lovingly remembered by her two sons, Ron Schoolmeester of Washington, D.C., and Vern (Pam Schoolmeester of Farmington, Minnesota; three grandchildren, Joey, Laura (Shannon) Dana and Darcy (Wes) Carel; eight great-grandchildren; four sisters, Johanna (Marvin) DeGroot, Grace VanderBrake, Evelyn (Wallace) Runia, and Annette “Faye” (Arnold) DeKam; two brothers, Henry (Adrianna) DeKruif and John (Viola) DeKruif; and other family and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence; parents; three sisters, Genevieve Eernissee, Elsie VandeVoort and Marie VanderTop; and a brother, William DeKruif.

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