Jacob Wilbur Kruisselbrink was born to Henry and Annetta (Solsma) Kruisselbrink November 15, 1930 on a farm near Sheldon, Iowa. In 1934 his family moved from Sheldon to Sanborn, Iowa. There he attended the Sanborn Christian School and helped his father on the farm. In 1944 his family moved to Woodstock, Minnesota where Jake completed his education at the Woodstock Public School and graduated from the eighth grade. He made confession of his faith in Jesus Christ in 1950 at the Christian Reformed Church in Edgerton, Minnesota.

On July 18, 1951 Jake was united in marriage to Betty Jane Ten Cate at the American Reformed Church in Woodstock, Minnesota. After their marriage the couple lived in an upstairs apartment on Betty’s parents’ farm and Jake helped his father and father-in-law with farm work. Later they moved to a home in Edgerton and eventually to a home in Woodstock where Jake owned and operated a feed grinding business. In 1957 the family moved to Bellflower, California where Jake worked for Douglas Aircraft on the assembly line. Later they moved to Artesia, California and Jake began working on the Te Velde Dairy. The family returned to Minnesota in December 1963 after purchasing the family farm from Betty’s parents. Jake worked the land planting corn, beans and oats as well as milking dairy cows. The couple made their home here together for 44 years. Jake retired from the dairy business in 1995 but still continued to farm the land until 1999. Betty preceded him in death on November 10, 2010.

Jake loved farming and was a true farmer at heart. One of Jake’s earliest childhood memories was when he was three years old; he remembered walking all day in the field behind a horse drawn plow driven by his father. He often spoke of how much he enjoyed farming with horses as a boy and how difficult it was for him the day his father sold the horses and they started using tractors. Jake never got tired of working the land and devoted much of his time to caring for his calves and other animals on the farm. Even after he retired he would still help his son-in-law with field work. Later in life, when it became too difficult for him to get into the big tractors, Jake found pleasure on his “little” tractor (lawn mower) and would stay busy from early morning to late evening trimming the lawn, if it needed it or not.

Jake was a member of the First Reformed Church in Edgerton. He enjoyed being outdoors, spending time visiting with family and friends, and going for his daily car ride around the area. He loved to tell jokes and could always make you laugh. Jake went to be with his Lord on December 27, 2013 at his home on the farm. He will truly be missed by many.

Jake  is lovingly remembered by his six daughters, Donna and her husband Roger Van’t Hul  of Pipestone, MN, Beth and her husband Barton Jessen of Edgerton, Patty Stettnichs of Brandon, SD, Darla and her husband Oren Paulson of Brandon, Tamera and her husband Richard Friend of Edgerton, and Kristy and her husband Michael Rolla of Edgerton;  16 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; three sisters, Harriet and her husband Henry Schmidt of Slayton, MN, Evelyn Van Nieuwenhuyzen of Pipestone, MN, Wilma and her husband Gerald Van Peursem of Marcell, MN; and several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Betty Jane; his parents, Henry and Annetta; one sister, Magdalene; three brothers, Howard, Willys, and Elmer; and one great-grandchild, Riley Bosma.