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Service:
A private family burial will take place with a
celebration of Regina and Kurt’s lives to be held
and announced at a later date.
Funeral home:
Fricke-Calvert-Schrader, Lincoln
Obituary
Regina Kay Klokkenga
of Emden, passed away on Thursday, August 6, 2026 in
Hill City, South Dakota at the age of 69. She was
born on April 1, 1957, in Lincoln, IL, the daughter
of Robert and Betty (Coombs) Washam. Regina
graduated from Lincoln High School in 1975.
Regina held various careers throughout her life,
with her favorites being a florist at Kroger and a
travel agent for Astro Travel. Both of these careers
allowed her to tap into her creative mind. In early
2020, she retired from AT&T. As Regina stepped into
retirement, she tapped right back into her
creativity where she became a certified yoga
instructor and reiki master. Dance was always a
passion in her life and being able to channel that
into yoga was second nature to her. Together with
her daughter Nikki, they created The Soulful
Wellness Collective in Lincoln. She taught yoga
every Monday, led women’s groups once a month and
enjoyed healing others through the sounds of crystal
sound bowls and rainsticks. Regina was a natural
healer, simply by her presence. She could light up a
room or a person's day through her smile alone or
with a big hug. Her many joys in life were the
friendships she made, gardening, decorating, and
riding. Regina made lasting friendships from
childhood friends that grew up in her “old stomping
grounds” to new friendships she made through work,
yoga or traveling with her husband Kurt. Of all the
many roles Regina had, by far her favorite was being
a mother. Regina never missed a sporting event, from
all of Matt’s baseball games to Nikki’s volleyball
tournaments, she found a way to cheer from the
stands. Her love for nature and the outdoors was
shared with her kids as she would take them on
annual camping trips, kayaking or starting a quality
campfire.
Regina married Kurt Klokkenga on December 12, 2024
at 12:00pm in Paul’s Grove at The Ranch. They both
were very proud of being married on 12/12 at 12pm.
Although Regina and Kurt were only married for a
short while, their love was as if they lived a
lifetime together. |
Regina quickly took to
the open road with Kurt and began traveling
everywhere with him. They enjoyed the open road on
one of their antique motorcycles and of course their
bright red camper van. While they enjoyed traveling
anywhere and everywhere, what meant the most was the
people they traveled to see. Regina and Kurt had an
extended family that filled their travels with so
much love. The love they shared for others was felt
not only close to home but also coast to coast.
Regina is survived by
her children, Matthew (Amy) Chapman and Nicholette
(Jake Haseley) Chapman; her brothers, Randy Washam,
and Rick (Jodi) Washam; her sister-in-law JoAnn
Washam; her grandchildren, Matthew Parker Chapman
and Maggie Michelle Chapman; as well as several
nieces and nephews. Also surviving are her
brother-in-law Kendall (Kim) Klokkenga,
sisters-in-law Roberta Klokkenga and Lorna Klokkenga.
Regina is preceded in death by her parents, Robert
and Betty Washam; and brother Robert “Bucky” Washam.
Regina will be remembered as one who shined love
onto everyone, brought peace to a room and for
always greeting people with a smile. Her care for
animals, deep love for her family, and her creative
self expression. She is a person who is remembered
by how she made you feel.
Kurt and Regina’s lives ended together while doing
what they loved, leaving many friends, community and
family grieving through this difficult time. A
private family burial will take place with a
celebration of Regina and Kurt’s lives to be held
and announced at a later date.
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