Ruth Janet Sikkink, 79, of Castlewood, passed away Saturday, January 14, 2017, at Prairie Lakes Hospital in Watertown, SD. Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 am Thursday, January 19, 2017, at Hamlin Reformed Church in rural Castlewood. Visitation will be from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm Wednesday at Geise Funeral Chapel in Castlewood.

In Lieu of flowers, the family will establish an endowment fund in Ruth's name to assist with funding Sunday School/Bible school at Hamlin Reformed Church.

Ruth Janet Jurgens was born on June 13, 1937, in Estelline, SD, the daughter of Herman and Elizabeth "Lizzie" (Ravenhorst) Jurgens. She attended school at Clear Lake High School and graduated in 1955. She attended Nettleton Business College and began her employment at Northern State Power in Sioux Falls. She would later work for Midland Life Insurance Company, William Neale, CPA, and the Internal Revenue Service. She was united in marriage to Lloyd Sikkink Jr on February 12, 1959 at the Hamlin Reformed Church. The couple farmed near Castlewood SD. She worked as a transcriptionist at the Deuel County Hospital and also ran her own tax service.

She was a lifelong member and Sunday School teacher at the Hamlin Reformed Church. Music was her passion. Ruthie started playing the piano and organ for the Hamlin Reformed Church at the age of 15, and continued for 55 years until Parkinsons no longer allowed it. Those years included playing for church services, numerous wedding and funerals. She also accompanied the Aronson Sisters for many years and thoroughly enjoyed accompanying her children and grandchildren at school contests, church worship services and several other events. She enjoyed many ballgames of any kind that her children and grandchildren were involved in. She also enjoyed the bus trips with Lloyd to see the Minnesota Vikings and Twins. Through all of this, she continued to help run the family farm.

Ruth is survived by her husband, Lloyd Sikkink, Jr, of Castlewood, SD; her children, Jeffrey (Dawn) Sikkink, of Castlewood, SD; Sherri (Rod) Kemink, of Castlewood, SD, Kent (Lori) Sikkink, of Milaca, MN, Gerald Sikkink, of Castlewood, SD and Todd (Dawn) Sikkink, of Castlewood, SD; 12 grandchildren; 10 great grandchildren; two sisters, Janice (Bob) Walker, of Colton, SD and Barb (Newell) Ordal, of Madison, SD and a host of relatives.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Herman and Elizabeth Jurgens and granddaughter, Savannah Rae Kemink.

Condolences may be sent to the family though www.rudesfuneralhome.com