Mabel Ludens
Mabel Ludens, age 99, died on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at Ava’s House in Sioux Falls, SD.
Her funeral service will be 10:00 AM on Friday, June 19, 2026 at George Boom Funeral Home & On-Site Crematory in Sioux Falls with burial at Hills of Rest Cemetery in Sioux Falls, SD. Her family will be present to greet friends for visitation on Thursday, June 18, 2026 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM also at the funeral home.
Mabel Ludens was born to Peter and Dora (Vander Lei) Dykstra July 20, 1926 on a farm near Running Water, SD. She was the sixth of ten children. She attended school in Running Water through eighth grade. As a young woman, she helped in area homes and then began a 17 year career with Lueken’s Bakery, first in Springfield, SD and then at Lueken’s Mitchell, SD location where she purchased a home with two of her sisters who also worked at the Bakery.
She married Robert Ludens on May 3, 1961 at the Emmanuel Reformed Church in Springfield. Together they welcomed their two children, Julie and Ronald. The family moved from Springfield to Sioux Falls in 1973 when Robert transferred to the Post Office in Sioux Falls. Robert passed away in 2011 at the age of 83, having shared a blessing of 50 years of marriage.
The couple were active members at Community Reformed Church and Calvary Memorial Church in Sioux Falls; Mabel served in various capacities including teaching Catechism and Sunday School. While Mabel worked as a lunch aide at Cleveland Elementary, babysat, and cleaned for the Children’s Home Society, she always believed her most important role was being a caring wife, mother, and grandmother. She especially showed her devotion to her family with delicious cooking, baked goods, and unconditional love. She cared for her grandchildren on a regular basis, always ready to entertain by building blanket forts over the backyard clothesline, baking chocolate chip cookies and nicely decorated birthday cakes, also letting them help make coffee (making sure Makayla had one with extra milk and sugar). She enjoyed getting together with her family in Springfield for Sunday afternoon coffee and Angel food cake while visiting with her beloved parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews. Mabel was hard of hearing so instead of calling, she would write the most beautiful letters and treasured cards. Her grandkids would help put stamps on and place them in the mailbox. Her siblings would exchange those stamps with her for her growing stamp collection. She also enjoyed collecting salt & pepper shakers, and later spoons from places she or kids and grandkids picked up for her in their travels.
The family is grateful to the Providers and staff at Sanford Hospital and Ava’s Hospice for the compassionate care of our dear mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.
Grateful for having shared her life are her daughter, Julie Hanisch and her husband, Todd of Sioux Falls, SD; her son, Ronald Ludens of Sioux Falls, SD; four grandchildren, Alicia Reker and her husband, Corey of Luverne, MN, April Willuweit and her husband, Nick of Dell Rapids, SD, Matthew Ludens, Groten, CT and Makayla Lambert and her husband, Matt of Brücken, Germany; five great-grandchildren, Reagan Reker, Ryan Reker, Weston Willuweit, Robert Lambert and Aiden Lambert; brother-in-law, James Ludens, Sioux Falls, SD; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Robert E. Ludens; her parents, Peter and Dora Dykstra; five brothers, Andrew, Jayson, Raymond, Donald and Darwin Dykstra; four sisters and their husbands, Annie (Hessel) Odens, Jessie (Casey) Boersma, Marie (Pier) Vander Veen and Ruth (Mike) Olivier; Robert's parents, John and Theresa (Wynia) Ludens; two sisters-in-law, Doris (Vert) Voigt and Kathleen Ludens.