Hendrene was born on May 26, 1937, to Dick and Jessie (Van Der Woude) Boeve on a farm near Edgerton, Minnesota. At age six, her family moved to a farm near Steen, Minnesota, where she attended country school through the eighth grade.

On December 20, 1955, Hendrene was united in marriage to Arnold Veldkamp. Together, they shared a life built on faith and agriculture, farming near Steen, Beaver Creek, Edgerton, and Ihlen, Minnesota. They retired to Luverne in 2004. After 54 years of marriage, Arnold passed away on August 17, 2009.

Hendrene found companionship again and married Wayne Van Wyhe on January 26, 2013, in Hills, Minnesota. They shared nine wonderful years together until Wayne’s passing on May 1, 2022.

A Legacy of Faith and the Land

Hendrene was never happier than when she was outdoors. Whether she was working the fields of the family farm or tending to the vibrant rows of her garden, she possessed a rare and quiet strength. She understood the rhythm of the seasons and the patience required to watch something grow—a wisdom she applied not just to her plants, but to the family she raised and the many lives she touched.

Her hands, seasoned by years of farming, were a testament to a life of dedication, resilience, and a deep love for honest work. By her example, her children were the beneficiaries of simple truths: the value of hard work, the importance of humility, and the joy of being in God’s presence—whether at church, at work, or home with family. Hendrene loved to travel, especially when it involved exploring God’s Word, and she cherished engaging in deep discussions about His goodness.

Family

She is lovingly remembered by her children: Linda (Leon) Kracht, Pipestone, MN, Darrell (Bonnie) Veldkamp, Edgerton, MN, Ardean (Lori) Veldkamp, Hingham, WI, Deb (Lonnie) Van Klei, Hugo, MN, Tricia Veldkamp, Edgerton, MN.  

She is also survived by 21 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren; and her sisters, Jeanette Bleyenberg (Edgerton, MN), Betty (Harold) Babbitt (Brandon, SD) and Josephine (Glenn) Nelson (Sioux Falls, SD), along with Wayne Van Wyhe’s family and children.  

Hendrene was preceded in death by her parents; husbands Arnold Veldkamp and Wayne Van Wyhe; an infant daughter; son, Robert Veldkamp; great-grandchildren, Micah Sechler, Wyatt Veldkamp, and Elise Mitchell; brothers, Eibert and Peter Boeve; and sister, Dorothy Boeve Petersen.