Baarda, Arletta Mae – 1915-2009

BAARDA, CRAWFORD, DE VRIES, DEAN, ELSCOTT, FOPMA, HURST, PUNT, RENAUD, TERLOUW, VANDER WEERDT, WILLEMSEN, YEPSEN

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 1/11/2010 at 14:33:24

Arletta Mae Terlouw was born on June 4, 1915, north of Sully, Iowa in rural Jasper County, Iowa. She was the oldest of nine children that were born to John O. Terlouw and Phoebe Ann (Renaud) Terlouw.
Arletta attended the Iron Clad country grade school through the eighth grade. In December of 1940 she moved into town and lived with her grandmother, Mrs. Charles Renaud, and cared for her in her home at 204 6th Ave. in Sully until her death in 1947.
On January 13, 1953, Arletta was united in marriage to William Baarda in Sully. William’s first wife Almeda (Elscott) Baarda had died the previous year at the age of 45 years. Soon after their marriage they decided to reside in the house Arletta had maintained for her grandmother. Bill’s son, Marvin Lowell, then took over the farm and resides there still today.
Arletta and Bill were faithful members of the Sully Community Church, where Arletta was active in the women’s service guild, conducted nursing home service meetings, and were active in the Senior Citizens group in Sully. Bible Camps and church mission work were especially important to both of them. Arletta was a seamstress for over 50 years. Bill passed away on June 16, 1994 at the age of 88 years. After Bill’s death, Arletta continued to live in Sully until moving to Hilltop Manor in Pella, Iowa in 2002. She resided there until she became a resident of Friendship Manor in Grinnell, Iowa in 2007.
Arletta passed away peacefully on Monday evening, December 21, 2009, at the advanced age of 94 years, at the Grinnell Regional Health Center. Those left to honor her memory are her surviving family, they are: Marvin and Iva Baarda of Sully, Iowa, Craig and Sheryl Baarda, Ryan and Gina Baarda, Shykira, Camden, Logan, Shaun and Kristy Baarda, and Brooke; Melanie and Dennis Renaud, Sheila and Kyle Punt, and Chloe and Caleb, Tasha Renaud and fiancé Jared Yepsen; Rick and Debra Baarda, Clint and Michelle Crawford, Ben, Luke, Jordan and Jennifer Dean, and Emma, Tristan, Amanda and Lance De Vries and Hunter. Of her original family Arletta leaves a sister, Theda (Bernie) Fopma of Grinnell; her brother, Louis and his wife, Joan Terlouw of Pella, and two sisters-in-law: Marie (Henry C.) Terlouw of Pella and Barbara (Marion) Terlouw of Prairie City, Iowa.
Arletta was preceded in death by her husband, William, a great- grand daughter, Keisha Dawn Renaud, her parents, her sisters: Martha (Fred) Willemsen, Jennie Marie (Clyde) Hurst, Isabelle (Garrit) Vander Weerdt, and her brothers: Henry C. Terlouw, Lloyd Terlouw and Marion Terlouw. Arletta was a loving and devoted wife, sister, mother and grandmother to William’s family, and faithfully witnessed for the Lord.
Visitation: one hour prior to the funeral service on Saturday, at Sully Community Church, Sully, Iowa. Funeral Service: Saturday, December 26 at 11:00 a.m., at Sully Community Church, Sully, Iowa. Interment: Sully Cemetery
For those desiring, memorials may be given for Sully Community Church or the Bible League.
Source: Van Dyk-Duven Funeral Home; Thursday, December 24, 2009