Russell Huizenga

Russell Huizenga, age 68, of Ortonville died on September 6, 2019, as the result of a vehicular accident near Ortonville.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, September 11, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. at Abiding Faith Free Lutheran Church in Ortonville.  Visitation will be held at the church on Tuesday from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. Burial will be at Eidskog Cemetery.

Russell was born on November 12, 1950, to Luane and Glen Huizenga in Ortonville, MN.  He was raised at the Huizenga family farm three miles east of Ortonville, and attended grade school and high school in Ortonville.  While in school, he excelled in all subject areas and was very proud of graduating at the top of his class.  He was involved in football, wrestling, 4-H, and FFA.  He participated in County Fairs and even the Minnesota State Fair.  While showing his sheep at the Big Stone County Fair he would always stay in Clinton, MN, with his maternal grandparents: Colonel and Lou Adolphson.  He cherished all the time he spent with all of his grandparents.  He even moved in with his Paternal Grandma, Lena Huizenga, at the Long Tom farm after his Grandpa John passed away in December of 1967.  He continued living with Grandma Lena until he was married to Dorienne Weeding on October 14, 1972, at Eidskog Lutheran Church.  While in high school, he helped Grandpa John run his farm, he worked for Ross Gravel, and he helped his dad, Glen, operate a gravel business.  After high school he took over the Huizenga farm raising hogs and cattle and planting corn, oats, wheat, and alfalfa.  He sold gravel out of the Huizenga pit for many years to several different contractors.   In 1992, he decided to quit grain farming and sell some of the farm equipment but continue to raise beef cattle.  He then went to work in Ortonville for Berger’s Welding as a Welder.  In 2003, he made the big decision to go to work for a larger company for the first time in his life at Superior Industries in Morris, MN.  He started working in the assembly line building conveyors and most recently specialized in parts weld.  He had great respect for this company and was proud to work for them.  He LOVED to tell his family and friends about his day and the projects he was working on.  He took great pride in his accomplishments and often looked for Superior conveyors while on road trips with Dorienne.  He continued to raise cattle with his son, Brett, until the present day.  He enjoyed any time spent out on his farm making it better, and also took interest in Brett’s passion of restoring old tractors, attending sales, and recently purchased an old excavator and dozer to further make improvements on the farm.

When he wasn’t working on the farm or in Morris, he could be found at the church where he spent many hours listening to recorded tapes of church services that he recorded each week, preparing for his morning bible study class, or fixing everything and anything that needed to be fixed.  He was known to all of his family, immediate and extended, as the man who could fix anything.  He would drop whatever he was doing to help anyone out, and even though it may have taken longer than some, it was done with perfection and expertise.  

While he wasn’t always one to follow his kids and grandkids to their many, many activities and events, (that’s where Dorienne comes in), he was the first one everyone called whenever they needed something because they knew he would ALWAYS be there.  He was so very proud of his kids, grandkids, and all of their accomplishments.  Russ was a humble man, a faithful man, and a respected man.  His memory will be forever cherished.

Russ is survived by his wife, Dorienne of 46 years; daughters: Krista (Artie) Arndt; Kylene (Josh) Nelson; and son,  Brett (Sara) Huizenga; all of Ortonville, MN; grandchildren: Dylan, Tanner, Joseph, and Cassandra Arndt; Olivia, Alayna, and Ayden Nelson; and Gracyn Huizenga; his mother, Luane Huizenga of Ortonville, MN;  siblings: Janine (Orville) Folk of Milbank, SD; Scott (Lou) Huizenga of Ortonville, MN; Paula (Todd) Koch of Milbank, SD; and Angela Bloss of Ortonville, MN;  mother-in-law, Arylce Weeding of Ortonville, MN; and sisters-in-law: Jerolyn (David) Homrighausen; Laura (Michael) Berger; Ronda (Brad) Sellin; and Denise (Terry) Scherer; all of Ortonville,MN; and many nieces and nephews.

Russ is preceded in death by his father, Glen Huizenga; brother, Steven Huizenga; aunt, Norma “Sis” Connelly; uncle, Everett “Bud” Adolphson; paternal grandparents: John and Lena Huizenga; maternal grandparents: Colonel and Lou Adolphson; and father-in-law, Gaylord Weeding.