BULTHUIS, Lyda 1912-2014

BULTHUIS, THEERMAN

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 4/26/2017 at 08:29:39

Lyda C. Belthuis, age 101, of Cedar Falls, Iowa, was born the daughter of Albert W. and Aletta Theerman Bulthuis on May 29, 1912, in Butler County, Parkersburg, Iowa. She graduated from Parkersburg High school in 1934. She received her B.A. from Iowa State Teachers College in 1939, an M.A. from the University of Northern Colorado in 1944, and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1947. She was a Professor of geography at the University of Minnesota–Duluth for 30 years, serving as Department Head from 1955-1965. Dr. Belthuis had 50 publications and traveled to more than half of the world’s countries, spending much time in Australia.

She was a member of the Pilgrim Congregational Church in Duluth, from 1958-1992. She was a resident at Western Home and attended the Western Home chapel for the last 20 years.

Through the years, she was an avid skier, doing cross-country skiing well into her 90s. Some of her other past times were hiking, reading, writing, sewing clothing, giving slide show presentations, volunteering and identifying wild flowers.

Lyda died Friday, February 14, 2014, at Western Home, in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She was preceded in death by: two sisters Gertie Bouck and Grace Pruin; brother Ed Bulthuis and two nephews, Bert and Harry Pruin.

Lyda is survived by two nieces, Mildred Goodell of Waterloo, Iowa and Inez (Ed) McCarville of Dike, Iowa, and a niece (by marriage), Adele Pruin of Holland, Iowa.

Memorial services: Wednesday February 19, at the Western Home Chapel, 420 E. 11th Street, Cedar Falls. Visitation is 9:30-10:15 a.m., service starts at 10:30 a.m., Chaplain Rev. Don Sauser officiating. Burial to follow at Stout Cemetery, in Stout, Iowa.

--Redman-Schwartz Funeral Homes (www.redman-schwartz.com)