Harriet Namminga Obituary

Harriet (Dyk) Namminga, 95, of Springfield

Harriet Namminga, age 95, was born on May 11, 1930 to Harm and Nancy (Dykstra) Dyk on the family farm west of Platte, SD and passed away September 9, 2025 at the Good Samaritan Care Center in Tyndall, SD. She was the oldest of seven children. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, September 15, 2025 at Emmanuel Reformed Church, Springfield, SD. Burial is in the Emmanuel Reformed Cemetery, rural Springfield. The service will be live-streamed on the Emmanuel Reformed Church Youtube page. Visitation will be from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Sunday at the church.

Harriet attended Tuckerman School for eight years and then Platte High School, graduating in 1948 as Valedictorian of the class. In the summers of 1948, 1949 and 1950 she went to Southern State Teachers College in Springfield, SD and received her teaching certificate. By September of each year she was teaching school, one year at Brookside School near Platte and two years at the Corsica Christian School.

It was during the summer of 1950 she began dating Jacob E. Namminga. They were engaged in December of 1950 and married on June 22, 1951 at her parent's home in Platte. From 1951 to 1962 they moved 5 times to various farms in the Springfield-Tyndall area. During those years, Jake and Harriet welcomed four daughters into their lives. In August, 1962 they moved to the Namminga family farm west of Springfield where Jake had grown up. They farmed and milked dairy cows until retiring into Springfield in 1991. Harriet also assisted Jake on many wiring jobs in and around Springfield as he had attended Springfield College on the GI bill following his military service in WWII and received his electrician's license. During their retirement years, they traveled and enjoyed many coffee times with relatives and friends. She became an avid quilter while living in town.

Harriet's faith was strong and unshakeable all her life. She was baptized in and attended the Platte Christian Reformed Church. After marrying and moving to Springfield, she was an involved member of Emmanuel Reformed Church, teaching Sunday School and participating in the Willing Worker's Circle serving as President for many years.

Harriet is survived by her daughters: Joanne (David) Hatle of Sioux Falls, Sharon (Alan) Egge of Yankton and Audrey (David) Gaspar of Flandreau; grandchildren: Michelle (Adam) Nelson (Brynn & Lane Johnson, Cooper), Becky (Darren) Larson (Major, Deacon), Kathy Ward (Isaac), Leah (Aaron) Presley (Isaac), Adam (Rachel) Hatle (Julia, Austin), Sara (Mark) Hoebelheinrich (Rose, James), Alison (Joe) Gerken (Charlie, Everett), Jonathan (Amanda) Egge (Bennett, Lucy), Daniel (Leslie) Gaspar (Jacob, Emmett), Jesse (Jamie) Gaspar (James, Jaelynn, Julianna, Joseph), Christina Gaspar, Ben (Amber) Gaspar; brother Gerald Dyk; sisters Carolyn Hofman and Billie Childress; and many nieces and nephews.

Harriet was preceded in death by her parents, husband Jake, daughter Judy Ward, son-in-law Dennis Ward, two infant children, brothers Dick Dyk, Clair Dyk and sister Henrietta Star.

Memorials will be directed to benefit the Emmanuel Reformed Church library and cemetery funds.