Hermina Sytsma (nee Ten Harmsel), age 92, a resident of Park Place of Elmhurst and formerly a longtime resident of Wheaton, went to be with the Lord on Monday, July 5, 2021 after a brief illness. She was born on September 15, 1928 in Perkins, Iowa to Herman and Johanna Ten Harmsel.

After living in Northwest Iowa until she was about 8 years old, her family moved to Zeeland, Michigan where her parents looked to find a better life. The youngest of seven children, she was the first of her siblings to graduate from high school from Holland Christian High School and attended Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan where she met Leonard Sytsma in the library. They were married on June 7, 1950. She went on to raise her family of five children. She and Len lived in New Jersey until his job transfer to the Chicagoland area in 1966 where they settled their family in Wheaton, Illinois. She served in many volunteer roles at Lowell Elementary School and Franklin Junior High School in the libraries. In 1976, after her youngest child entered high school, she became a Library Associate at Wheaton Public Library where she worked until 1991. She was instrumental in fighting for and winning retirement funds for part time workers in the City of Wheaton. She and Len worked for The Scholar's Choice after retirement, traveling the country selling academic books.

In 2012, she and Len relocated from their home in Wheaton to Park Place of Elmhurst. She enjoyed being a member of the Residents' Committee and Library Committee at Park Place, playing Scrabble every week with good friends and generally enjoying the company of women she forged friendships with at Park Place. She worked as a volunteer at New To You in Broadview, Illinois. She was an active and longtime member of Wheaton Christian Reformed Church where she served on the Ladies' Guild, Worship Committee and many other volunteer roles. Her main joy in life was her family and she loved spending time with them.

She is survived by five children, Mary (Stuart) Greydanus, Daniel (Mary) Sytsma, Thomas (Judith) Sytsma, Nancy (Joseph) Maggio and Leslie Sytsma, nine grandchildren, Jeanine (Brandon) Gasper, Leah (Jason) Mraz, Erin (Andrew) Willink, Micah (Diane) Sytsma, Janna (Scott) Piersma, Joel (Amy) Sytsma, Jonathan (Rebecca) Sytsma, Andrew (Julianne) Maggio and Thomas Maggio. She had 18 great-grandchildren, Logan Gasper, Owen Gasper, Eli Gasper, Rylee Gasper, Kylie Mraz, Peyton Mraz, Ellie Mraz, Adalyn Sytsma, Lucas Sytsma, Mikaela Sytsma, Cassidy Willink, Sawyer Willink, Anneke Willink, Alice Sytsma, Benjamin Sytsma, Samuel Piersma, Zoe Piersma and Smith Sytsma. She also had many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Leonard, her grandson Seth Greydanus and great grandson Joshua Piersma, her sisters Henrietta (Ralph) Bredeweg, Jean (Marinus) Pott, Berdena (Hilbert) Vanden Bosch, and brothers Herman (Harriett) Ten Harmsel, Bernard (Marianne) Ten Harmsel and Anthony (Arlene) Ten Harmsel.

A visitation will be held at Wheaton Christian Reformed Church, 711 E Harrison Ave, Wheaton, IL 60187, on Saturday, September 17, 2022, from 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. with a memorial service to follow at 11:00 a.m. Private interment was held at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery.

Memorial gifts may be directed to Chicago West Side Christian School , 1240 S Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60623.