Mrs. Emogene “Gene” Raak, age 85, of Hospers, passed away on Thursday, September 24, 2020, at the Orange City Area Health System. There will be a funeral service on Monday, September 28, at 2:30pm, at the Trinity Reformed Church Hospers Campus. The Rev. Kurt Bush and the Rev. Milton Sikkema will officiate. Interment will follow the service at the Newkirk Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be on Sunday, from 3:30pm to 5:30pm, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Hospers. Emogene Ruth was born on November 22, 1934, near Middleburg, the daughter of Herman and Tillie (Mouw) Van’t Hul. She grew up on her family’s farm and graduated from the Sioux Center High School. She was united in marriage to Kenneth Lee Van’t Hof on August 18, 1954, in Middleburg. The couple made their home on a farm by Newkirk, where together they farmed and raised their two children, Laura and Doug. “Ken” passed away on April 25, 1982, in Orange City, after a brief battle with cancer. Following her husband’s passing, Gene lived on the farm for a few years before moving to an apartment in Orange City. On October 12, 1985, she was married to Donald Gerard Raak, in Orange City. They made their home in Hospers and spent many happy years together traveling, going fishing, and taking day trips exploring the countryside. In 2011 she and “Don” moved to the Sunrise Homes Cooperative in Hospers. Don passed away on July 20, 2012, in Orange City. Mrs. Raak was a faithful member of the First Reformed Church in Hospers, and in earlier years, of the Newkirk Reformed Church. She enjoyed setting a beautiful table for friends and family to share coffee or a meal together. When at home, she could often be found watching Hallmark or QVC Home Shopping Channels. She looked forward to her weekly pizza night with friends and Sunday lunch with the girls from Newkirk. Her greatest joy was being a mother and grandmother and she loved to attend the various activities of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She is survived by her two children and their spouses, Laura and Thomas Wakefield, of Spencer; and Douglas and Denise Van’t Hof, of Hudson, South Dakota; five grandchildren, Emma Wakefield; Mark Wakefield; Jennifer, and her husband, Bradley Waddle; Kendra, and her husband, Joe Heitritter; and Tonelle Van’t Hof, and her special friend, Keith Gibson; six great-grandchildren, Lane, Ada, and Ezra Waddle; and Lucy, Rose, and Nora Heitritter; three step-children, David Raak, and his wife, Arlene, and Joan, and her husband, Galen Haack, all of Hospers; and Sharon Gumto, of Chandler, Arizona; 13 step-grandchildren; Ruth Kuster, Rachel Law, Paul Raak, Michael Gumto, Mark Gumto, James Haack, Daniel Haack, Laura Evink, Amy Haack, and Matthew, Michael, Christopher, and Katelyn Homandberg; 18 step-great-grandchildren; a sister and her husband, Dawn and Dennis Beltman, of Orange City; two sisters-in-law, Joan Van’t Hof, of Orange City; and Sharon Van’t Hof, of Hospers; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents and husbands, she was preceded in death by a step-son-in-law, Richard Gumto; a brother and his wife, William and Mildred Van’t Hul; a sister and her husband, Frances and Howard Van Gorp; and two brothers-in-law, Lloyd Van’t Hof and Ronald Van’t Hof. Memorials may be directed to the Orange City Area Home Health and Hospice.