Dora Steffen, 89, of Hills, MN, formerly from Brookings, died Friday, Sept, 27, 2024, at the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills, MN.
A celebration of life service will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 1, at 3:30 p.m. at the Steen Reformed Church in Steen, MN, with visitation to follow from 4:30 until 7 p.m.
Dora was born on Nov. 25, 1934, to Brandt and Sophia (Fryling) Bruxvoort in Buenos Aries, Argentina where her father was a missionary to a Dutch settlement. Her twin brothers Brandt and Herman and her brother Ralph were born while they lived in Argentina.
They returned to the United States in 1936 by boat and settled in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where her sister Joanna and brother Marvin were born. The family then moved to Denver, Colorado, where she attended Denver Christian Schools. They moved to New Jersey for a few years and later moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where Dora graduated from Sioux Falls Washington High School in 1952.
Dora met Henry Roozenboom through the church and they fell in love! They were wed on July 13, 1954. Soon after they moved to Hills, Minnesota, where Henry ran his Henry’s 66 Service Station. While living in Hills, Dora had a tax preparation business for the local residents, served on the Board for the Exchange State Bank, and worked as a postal clerk for the Hills Post Office where she later became the postmaster. Dora had a strong faith in God and led a life of service and devotion to Him. She served the church in many ways and was noted for her ability to lead deep and meaningful Bible Study discussions.
On June 19, 1978, Henry passed away of a heart attack at the young age of 45. Dora then began attending THEOS, a Sioux Falls Christian fellowship group for young widows and widowers. It was there that Dora met Lyle Steffen from Nunda, South Dakota. They were united in marriage on March 12, 1981.
In 1991, Dora lost her son Kurt, at the age of 23, to cancer. She retired from the Postal Service in 1992 and moved with Lyle to Brookings, South Dakota. They enjoyed traveling and spending winters in Mesa, Arizona. While in Brookings, Dora worked part-time at the local telephone office for a few years. Dora loved to sew and helped the Nunda Grace Lutheran Church Ladies Aide making over 300 quilts!
Dora moved back to Hills in November 2017 to be closer to her family. In January 2020, she moved into the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills, MN.
Our hearts are heavy as we say goodbye to this wonderful, generous, God fearing woman. We are eternally grateful for her influence on our lives and are praising God that she is now in Heaven—a day she has longed for! An obituary typically signifies an end, but for Dora, we know this is a new beginning. She is healthy and whole again. We praise God for the life she lived here on earth as our Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Sister, Aunt, and Friend!
Dora is lovingly remembered by her children David (Eunice) Roozenboom of Steen, MN, Dennis (Jo) Roozenboom of Valley Springs, SD and Diane (Rick) Foulks of Waimea, HI; two step children, Gary Steffen of Oldham and Barb (Ron) Hillestad of Volga, SD; Grandchildren, Alisha Roozenboom, Valerie Meinerts, Clint (Steph) Roozenboom & Kari (Brett) Quall, Lacy Roozenboom, Jade (Caelan) Markstrom, Isaiah and Seth Foulks; 3 step-grandchildren Rhonda Wosje, Robin Hillestad and Rachelle Steffen; 13 great-grandchildren and 1 step grandchild; sister Joanna De Ruiter of Lakewood, FL, brothers and sisters in-law Joyce Bruxvoort of Fort Collins CO, Greta De Witt of Sioux Falls, SD, Lee Te Slaa of Rock Valley IA, Lawrence (Linda) Roozenboom of Brandon, SD, Jerry (Judy) Roozenboom of Brandon, SD, Don (Carol) Roozenboom of Montevideo, MN, and Dee Alexander of Omaha, NE.
Dora was preceded in death by her parents Brandt and Sophia Bruxvoort, her husbands Henry Roozenboom (1978), and Lyle Steffen (2013), her son Kurt Roozenboom (1991), step-granddaughter Angee Rozeboom (1998), brothers Herman, Brandt, Ralph, and Marvin Bruxvoort, and numerous brothers- and sisters-in-laws.
