“If Herm Van Niejenhuis had to describe the work that he did—his calling,” said one of his brothers, “he would say he was a Storyteller with a capital ‘S.’ He simply tried to tell the story (of the Christian faith), to help us enter in, join in, and explore the wonder of it, the mystery of it, the truth of it.” Herm died July 24 after a three-year journey with pancreatic cancer.
Born in Groningen, the Netherlands, Herm was an infant when he immigrated with his family to Edmonton, Alta., where he grew up and graduated from high school then went on to graduate from Dordt College (now University) and Calvin Theological Seminary. He was ordained in 1975 and pastored Maranatha Christian Reformed Church, Lethbridge, Alta.; First CRC, Kingston, Ont.; Bethel CRC, Saskatoon, Sask.; Willowdale (Ont.) CRC; and Covenant CRC, Sioux Center, Iowa. He retired in 2012 to Willmar, Minn., with his wife, Dee. In his retirement years he enjoyed taking interim preaching opportunities at more than 10 congregations in the U.S. and Canada. An edited collection of Herm’s sermons, The Posture of Grace, was published in 2022.
In his younger years, Herm was an excellent hockey player. He enjoyed golf and read deeply, broadly, and habitually. In his spare time, Herm’s love of food and cooking found him often at the kitchen stove or sink preparing meals, a tea towel slung over one shoulder. As his illness progressed, watching cooking shows on TV became a favorite activity.
Predeceased by his eldest sister, Herm is survived by his wife, Dee; three sons and a daughter-in-law; two grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
About the Author
A former nurse and chaplain, Janet Greidanus is a freelance news correspondent and long-time writer of the In Memoriam column for The Banner.