Hurley Van Bemmel

Rock Rapids, Iowa

Hurley Van Bemmel, age 79, of Rock Rapids, IA, formerly of Doon, IA, passed away on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at Ava’s House in Sioux Falls, SD.

A funeral service will take place at 10:30 AM, Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at Bethel Reformed Church in Lester, Iowa, with Pastor Steve Meester officiating. Burial will follow at Hillside Cemetery in Doon, IA.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, March 24th, from 4:00 to 6:00 PM, with family present at Bethel Reformed Church in Lester.

Arrangements are in the care of Jurrens Funeral Home of Rock Rapids.

Hurley Arlen Van Bemmel was born April 23, 1946, in Hull, IA, the son of Henry and Jennie (Schrueder) Van Bemmel. He was raised on a family farm just east of Doon and graduated from Western Christian High School in 1963.

He spent much of his life working hard, 15 years at Hull Manufacturing, time at other plants in the area, and later 17 years on the road as a truck driver. Driving suited him. He liked being on the move during the day and just as much, knowing exactly where he would end up at night, often at Pizza Ranch.

He made his home in Doon for most of his life before moving to Rock Rapids in 2014, and was a familiar face at Bethel Reformed Church in Lester, IA.

Hurley was particular, in the best and most honest way. He knew what he liked, what he didn’t, and he lived his life unapologetically. He loved 90s country music, a good helping of potato salad, and scotcheroos. He loved his little red truck. He loved a good routine. And he really loved striking up a conversation. No one was a stranger, whether you were family, a neighbor, or someone standing next to him at a gas station.

He had a way of making small, ordinary moments feel like something more, usually with a joke, a story, or just by striking up conversation.

During his time driving bus for Hope Haven, his youngest son, Randall, would often ride along. It was there, in those moments, that Hurley showed him something simple and lasting. People are people at the end of the day.

In his later years, he looked forward to visits from his older son, Henry, especially when those visits included desserts or ice cream.

Hurley loved going to craft fairs and searching for collectibles, especially alongside Gloria Jacobsma, the love of his life. "Special friend" never quite covered it. She was his person.

He will be remembered for his sense of humor, his giant beard, his collection of trucker hats, and the way he moved through the world, steady, social, and entirely himself.

What made Hurley special was not just what he did, but how consistently he showed up in the smallest moments. A quick conversation, a familiar routine, a seat at the same place after a long day. The kinds of things that feel ordinary until they are not there anymore.

Those who knew him will miss the ease of those moments. The conversations that started out of nowhere. The steadiness of knowing exactly who he was and that he was never going to pretend to be anything else.

He is survived by his two children, Henry (girlfriend, Jolene Kranz) Van Bemmel and Randall (wife, Tina Lemieux) Van Bemmel, both of Sioux Falls, SD; two grandchildren, Henry Jr. (Molly McIntyre) Van Bemmel and Ruth (Noah) Holmlund; and a step-grandson, Dillion Tommeraasen.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Jennie Van Bemmel, and Gloria Jacobsma, the love of his life.