Jennie Mildred Boverhuis Eekhoff

Jennie Mildred Boverhuis Eekhoff, age 92, passed away peacefully on October 13, 2024, at Iowa Speciality Hospital in Clarion, Iowa, surrounded by her family. Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. on October 17, 2024, at the Wright Christian Reformed Church, 1730 East 130th St., Kanawha, with Pastor Russ Boersma officiating. Burial followed the service. Visitation was on October 16 from 5 – 7 p.m. at Ewing Funeral Home, 118 East Second St., Kanawha, and continued one hour prior to the service.

Jen was born January 23, 1932, to Reinder and Louise (DeBoer) Boverhuis at their home near Platte, South Dakota. When she was eight her family moved to Hollandale, Minnesota where she was a member, baptized and confirmed, at the Hollandale Christian Reformed Church. She attended Hollandale Christian School. She married Paul Eekhoff on June 23, 1953. For the first six months of their marriage they lived near Manhattan, Kansas, where Paul was stationed while in the Army. After Paul was discharged from the Army they moved to the family farm near Kanawha. They lived there until December 1, 2023, when they moved to the Meadows at Clarion, Iowa. They were faithful members of the Wright Christian Reformed Church where Jen enjoyed Ladies Aid and teaching Sunday School.

Since Jen was the oldest of eight children, she had the responsibility of helping to care for her siblings, especially her brother, Harold, who was a twin. She prepared meals for the students at the Kanawha Christian School for several years. Jen had a gift for crafting and spent much time knitting, china painting, quilting, and doing hardanger embroidery. She knitted hundreds of caps for the babies at the Iowa Specialty Hospital. For several years her grandkids received a craft for Christmas made by Paul and Jen. She enjoyed being a farm wife and loved gardening, baking, canning and fixing meals. She was always ready for unexpected company, a game of cards and to serve a baked good or two. She loved helping others and had a true servant heart.

Jen is survived by her husband of 71 years, Paul, children Ruth Greving, Diane (Kyle) Amonson, and Dean (Lynette) Eekhoff, daughter-in-law Connie (Marvin) Hildebrandt, 11 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren, sisters Grace (Dean) Bos, Marlene Passow, Terri Weeks, brother Harold Boverhuis, many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, son Steven Eekhoff, son-in-law Mark Greving, great-grandson Elijah Greving, siblings Howard Boverhuis, Bernard Boverhuis, and Ralph Boverhuis.