Sidney Klyn was born on June 27, 1934, the ninth of thirteen children born to Gerrit and Katherine (Vander Wiel) Klyn in Fifield, Iowa. He was baptized at Otley CRC and made profession of faith at Bethel CRC in Oskaloosa, Iowa, where he also met his wife, Mary Helen Vander Meyden. He attended school at White Breast Country, Monroe Public, and Pella Christian schools.
After graduating 8th grade, Sid worked at Vermeer Corporation in Pella. In 1955, he and his brothers Lawrence and Marion were drafted into the army at the same time and sent to Camp Chaffee, Arkansas, for training. He was later sent to Philadelphia where he served as a panel operator. He was discharged in 1957.
Sid earned his GED and moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to attend Calvin (College) University to earn his teaching degree. A few months after moving to Michigan, he returned to Iowa to get married at 1st CRC in Oskaloosa, Iowa, on March 29, 1957, in the middle of an ice storm.
Sid and Mary settled in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where their first daughter, Rose, was born. Once Sid completed his education, he began teaching at Grandville Christian School, in Grandville, Michigan. A few years after he began teaching, the family moved to Jenison, Michigan, where their second daughter, Pam, was born. Sid spent his teaching career with sixth graders, then moved to teaching fifth graders. He retired in June 1997 after 36 years of teaching. Once they moved to Jenison, the family joined 12th Ave. CRC where Sid was a deacon, elder, and catechism teacher.
A benefit of being a teacher is having scheduled breaks, so Sid and Mary took the opportunity to travel to Iowa every Christmas break, never missing a single Christmas in Iowa the entire time they lived in Michigan. They also traveled to Iowa every spring break, and at least once every summer the entire time Sid was teaching.
During his teaching career, Sid also worked for De Went Gravel Company in Jenison, driving a dump truck every summer. Once he retired from teaching, he began working for NAPA, in Grandville, delivering car parts.
In 2009, Sid and Mary moved back to Pella, Iowa, to be closer to family. They and their siblings were delighted to be near each other once again. They joined Second Pella CRC/ Cornerstone, where several family members also belong. They both enjoyed their time in Iowa and still returned to Michigan to visit friends and family while they were healthy enough to do so. Sid also volunteered his time at Peoria Christian School, where he was known as “Uncle Sid” to the students, and worked at Ulrich Motor in Pella part time.
In 2017, Mary’s health began to decline and, after 63 years of marriage, she passed away in December 2020. A few months later, Sid broke a hip and moved to The Cottages, where he has lived since.
Sid considered education to be important. As a child of a farmer, he was only able to go to school through eighth grade. One of his proudest achievements was participating in a spelling bee as a child. He came in second place, which motivated him to study even more words and share his knowledge of spelling anywhere, anytime. He had the opportunity to get his GED so he could go to college, which he was grateful for. He was dedicated to making sure every student understood assignments and he answered questions when they called him at home. He enjoyed almost any type of baked good and the “fellowship” that might come with an event where goodies were served. He was also a devoted fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes, often driving around the neighborhood in Michigan listening to basketball games on WHO radio in the car.
Sid passed away on September 4, 2026 at the Cottages in Pella at the age of 92.
He is survived by his daughters Rose (Craig) Borgman of Ft. Pierce, Florida; and Pam S. Klyn of Grimes, Iowa; grandchildren: Stephanie Borgman of Holland, Michigan; Staci (Trevor) Pearsall of Vero Beach, Florida; great-grandchildren: Madison, Hailey (special friend Logan), and Avery Pearsall of Vero Beach, Florida; Alexis (RJ) Hinken; Aaliyah Brown, and Keanna Brown, of Holland, Michigan; great-great-grandchildren: Adilynn and Kinsleigh Hinken; brothers: Marvin Klyn of Jenison, Michigan; Marion (Glenda) Klyn of Pella, Iowa; sisters-in-law: Linda (Mrs. Les) Klyn of Punta Gorda, FL; Jean (Larry) Van Mersbergen of Oskaloosa, Iowa; brothers-in-law: William Vander Meyden of Oskaloosa, Iowa; Conrad Vander Meyden of Des Moines, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews.
Sid was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Helen (Vander Meyden), his parents Gerrit and Katherine Klyn; his siblings and their spouses: Ruth (Henry) Vande Wall, Art (Betty) Klyn, Gerald (Margaret) Klyn, Sylvia (Cecil Vander Molen) (Tony) Langstraat, Ray (Angelyn) (Lois) Klyn, Marge (Art) Sneller, John (Lois) Klyn, Phyllis (Mrs. Marvin) Klyn, Lawrence (Valda) Klyn, Les (Joyce) Klyn, Kenneth, who died in infancy; his sister-in-law: Martha (Mrs. William) Vander Meyden.
His family would like to thank Wesley Life Hospice for their exceptional help and care in the last few months, and the staff at The Cottages for their excellent care over the past few years. The family would like to give special thanks to Mary Van Haaften for the wonderful care and support she provided to Sid in the last few years. We are eternally grateful for her support.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. at the Cornerstone Church in Pella. Visitation with the family present will be held on Tuesday September 8, from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at the Cornerstone Church in Pella. Memorials may be given for the Peoria Christian School or Wesley Life Hospice.
