Harold John Eggink

Sibley, IA

     Harold Eggink age 90 of Sibley, IA passed away Wednesday, January 12, 2022, at Osceola Regional Hospital in Sibley, IA.

     Funeral service will be 11:00 AM, Wednesday, January 19^th at First Reformed Church in Sibley, IA.  Burial will follow at Baker Township Cemetery near Melvin, IA.

     Visitation will be Wednesday, January 19^th from 9:00 to 11:00 AM at First Reformed Church in Sibley.

     Jurrens Funeral Home of Sibley is in charge of arrangements.

     Harold John Eggink was born on December 6, 1931 to Herman and Nettie (VanHeuvelen) at his parents’ home 2 ½ miles south east of Melvin.  He attended country grade school at Baker Twp and Cloverdale#1. He went to Melvin High school and graduated in 1949. That summer he took a course in Ames to become a DHIA supervisor in Pocahontas and Sioux counties.

     In December of 1952 his friends and neighbors volunteered him to serve in the Army, that’s what he would tell about being drafted.  He spent his 21^st birthday on the train to basic training at Ft. Knox, KY. He was sent overseas to Korea, in the infantry combat unit in North Korea for two months.  He was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge. When the armistice was signed his unit had to move south to the 38^th parallel, which was the dividing line between North and South Korea.  He was a border guard until he was rotated back to the states to Fort Carson, CO.  He earned the rank of Sgt. then spent a few months as an instructor at N.C.O. school. 

     In 1965 he married Luella Vandervoort, whom he met at the Arkota dance hall in Sioux Falls.  We were blessed with three children and so proud they all graduated from college.

     Harold returned to Iowa and rented some farmland and he helped his father farm along with dairying with Registered Holsteins. He began building a herd of Registered Holstein cattle which was his specialty.   He loved breeding and showing Holsteins.  He spent 10 years in 4-H with dairy projects.  He exhibited  at the Osceola Co. Fair, Clay Co. Fair for 50+ years,  South Dakota state fair, Iowa State Fair, All Iowa Fair, National Dairy Cattle Congress and World Dairy Expo.  He judged dairy shows in Iowa, SD, and Minn.  He became active in the District Holstein Assn, and the Iowa State Holstein Assn. He was president of the Iowa Holstein Assn and President of the Iowa P.D.C.A.  He was a delegate to the National Holstein Convention for nine years. He served on the Iowa-Nebraska Dairy Council and the district board of AMPI.

      He was actively  involved with the REC. He  served 30 years on the Osceola Co. REC, many years as president. He served on the L&O Power Co-op for 20 years and two years as a director on the State REC board.

     He was a member of the Melvin Reformed church where he served as a Deacon, and later became a member of the First Reformed church in Sibley.

 He loved to travel and somehow made it work with the dairy operation with help from his nephew, Leroy and his sons.  He has been to 79 of the 99 Iowa counties, 42 of the 50 states, and to 6 foreign countries.  His trip with his 94 year old dad to the Netherlands was very memorable.

 He is survived by his wife Luella of 56 years, two sons  Scott and Robin Eggink, Vinton, IA; Kevin Eggink, Bladwin, WI; and daughter  Nancy Eggink and Mark Anderson, Parker,Co. along with five grandchildren, Veronica, Vander, Finnley, William and Nola Eggink. Sister Berdena Ackerman, sister-in-law Leona Eggink, brother Hank and Irene Eggink , Littleton,Co.

He was preceded in death by his parents Herman and Nettie Eggink, a daughter in infancy, Brother Charlie Eggink, brother-in-law Curtis Ackerman.