BAKKER, Grace 1909-2002

BAKKER, GEERDES, RUTER

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 2/20/2014 at 16:38:08

Grace Bakker, 92, of Wellsburg died Monday, Oct. 21 at Grundy County Memorial Hospital-Long Term Care Unit. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 24 at First Christian Reformed Church, rural Wellsburg with Pastor Matt Ooms officiating. Burial will follow at the church cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. with family present from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Doyen-Abels Funeral Home in Wellsburg. Memorials may be directed to Christian Reformed World Relief Committee.

Grace was born December 5, 1909, the daughter of John and Gertie (Ruter) Geerdes in Grundy County. She received her education at Shiloh #4 Grade School and graduated from Wellsburg High School in 1928. After high school, Grace attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls and received her teaching certificate. For two years, Grace taught school at Shiloh #3 country school in rural Wellsburg. On January 30, 1936, Grace was united in marriage to Gerald Bakker at Lincoln Center Christian Reformed Church Parsonage. After their marriage, Gerald and Grace lived on a farm in rural Steamboat Rock for many years. In 1972, they moved to Wellsburg and Grace lived there until 1996. Her husband Gerald died on April 4, 1976.

She was a lifelong member of First Christian Reformed Church, rural Wellsburg, where she had taught Sunday school, was a member of the Ladies Guild, and also the Timothy Sisters.

Grace is survived by two daughters, Mardelle (Dick) Werkman of Wellsburg and Joyce (Larry) Dreesman of Eldora; two sons, Glen (Rachel) Bakker of Steamboat Rock and Merle (Diane) Bakker of Holland; twelve grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Gerald; four brothers, Ben, George, Claus, and Gratus Geerdes; four sisters, Gertie Heikens, Florence Heetland, Clara Geerdes, and Ordie Geerdes.

--newspaper clipping, source unknown