Susie Kelderman, 78, Hills, formerly of Luverne, died Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2003, at Tuff Memorial Home in Hills. Services were Friday, Oct. 3, at American Reformed Church in Luverne. The Rev. Dave Sikkema officiated. Burial was in Maplewood Cemetery, Luverne. Susie Smidstra was born to Charles and Reka (Kracht) Smidstra on Dec. 5, 1924, at Edna, Iowa. She was raised in the Rock Rapids area and attended rural country school. After her education, she stayed on the family farm to work and help her mother with her younger siblings.She married Henry Kelderman on Aug. 15, 1946, at her parent’s farm. The couple moved to Doon, Iowa, until 1952. They moved to Canton, S.D., and farmed for the next two years. They moved to Hardwick in 1954, and in 1956, moved to a farm northeast of Luverne. Mr. Kelderman was diagnosed with Bright’s kidney disease in 1961. He died in October of 1962 at the age of 39. She did cleaning for area homes and businesses and worked for Luverne Trucking. She moved to Tuff Memorial Home at Hills in 2000 after a series of massive strokes. Mrs. Kelderman enjoyed writing poetry, gardening, reading and watching old westerns on TV.Survivors include four children, Shirley (Jerry) Johnson, Henry "Butch" (Gloria) Kelderman, all of Hills, Roger (Colleen) Kelderman, Omaha, Neb., and Dave Kelderman, Moose Lake; 10 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; two brothers, Albert Smidstra, Rock Rapids, and Ben (Lilace) Smidstra, Luverne; one sister, Wilma (Joe) Jeffers, Luverne; one sister-in-law, Albertha Smidstra, Rock Rapids; and many nieces and nephews. Mrs. Kelderman was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Henry, one brother, Bert Smidstra, two sisters, Jennie Vander Weerd and Jessie Wiersma, and a granddaughter’s fiancé, Allan Lawrence. Roste Funeral Home, Hills, was in charge of arrangements.
