John B. Gunnink

John Gunnink age 82 of Chandler, MN died Thursday, January 28, 2010 at the Pipestone County Hospice. Services will be 11:00 AM Thursday, February 4, 2010 at the Chandler Christian Reformed Church. Visitation will be from 5:00 until 7:00 PM Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at the Chandler Funeral Home. Interment will be at a later date to be announced this spring. A luncheon will be served immediately after the service in the church fellowship hall. The Chandler Funeral Association is handling the arrangements. John B. Gunnink was born January 20, 1928 to William and Frances (Broekhuis) Gunnink on a farm south of Edgerton in Rock County, MN. He was baptized and professed his faith in the Christian Reformed Church. As a young boy he attended the Leota Christian School and then farmed with his father. On November 13, 1949 John married Annie Ver Does in the Christian Reformed Church in Chandler, MN and they made their home on his father’s farm. In 1955 they moved to a farm one mile south of Chandler and continued to live there even after their retirement until 2004 when John became a resident of the Mary Jane Brown Nursing Home in Luverne, MN. In 2005 he moved into the Good Samaritan Home in Pipestone, MN. John was a farmer his whole life and enjoyed working on the farm. He also was an avid John Deere equipment user and enjoyed Ford vehicles. John owned and operated a feed grinding business for several years in the Chandler area. He was a member of the Christian Reformed Church in Chandler and in the past had served on the church council, as a deacon and as an usher. John also served his community over the years, serving on the Chandler Christian School Board, and the Chandler Cemetery Board. He was also a past member of the NFO. On September 11, 2009 John became a resident of the Pipestone County Hospice in Pipestone, where he died Thursday, January 28, 2010 at the age of 82. John is survived by his wife, Annie Gunnink of Chandler, MN; two daughters, Marlys (Don) Nielsen and Shirley (LeRoy) Reese both of Lake Wilson, MN; five sons, Leon Gunnink of Chandler, MN, Rod (Brenda) Gunnink of Comfort, TX, Randy (Lori) Gunnink of Lake Wilson, MN, Les (Sheryl) Gunnink of Rapid City, SD and Daryl (Pam) Gunnink of Wilmont, MN; eleven grandchildren; fourteen great grandchildren; one sister, Jennie Masselink of Chandler, MN; three brothers, Bert (Etta Mae) Gunnink of Pipestone, MN, Pete (Mary Ann) Gunnink of Lake Wilson, MN and Arnie (Connie) Gunnink of Leota, MN; nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. His parents, twin infant grandsons, one brother, Richard and wife, Ruth and two brothers-n-law, Rick Bandstra and Gerald Masselink preceded him in death.