Gertrude Donkersloot (1922-2014)

DONKERSLOOT, RUTGERS, ALONS, ELGERSMA

Posted By: jane austin (email)
Date: 8/8/2016 at 04:00:35

Gertrude Donkersloot was born on May 26, 1921 in Sheldon, Iowa. She was the daughter of John and Johanna (Rutgers) Donkersloot. She lived her youth in rural Sanborn, Iowa where she graduated from a country school. She then helped at home for several years.

In 1942, she moved to Denver, Colorado where she worked in two different homes. From 1945 to 1956, Gert was a cashier at the Red Owl Grocery Store and later worked at the Grey Shop in Sheldon.

In 1957, she went to Bellflower, California to visit her brother, Hank, and he invited her to live there. She lived in Bellflower for nine years and worked as a cashier in a department store in Lakewood, California. In 1965, Gert came back to Sheldon to live with her mother after her father had died and her mother had a stroke. She started working at J. C. Penny in Sheldon in the bookkeeping department and later in retail sales until she retired in 1992. She moved to the Christian Retirement Home in Sheldon in 2002 and enjoyed participating in many of the activities there.

Gert was a long time member of the First Christian Reformed Church in Sheldon where she was a church librarian for 29 years.
She enjoyed volunteering at the Village Treasure Chest for 12 years, crocheting, crossword puzzles, reading and having coffee with her friends.

She moved to Prairie View Home in Sanborn, Iowa on December 26, 2013, where she passed away on Sunday, April 27, 2014.

Those left to cherish her memories are her sister, Matilda and Dan Alons of Sanborn, IA; two brothers, Al and Marie Donkersloot of Worthington, MN, Marv and LuAnn Donkersloot of Sheldon, IA; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Hank (Bernice) Donkersloot, Ray (Alyda) Donkersloot; one sister, Gladys (Earl) Elgersma.

Source: Andringa Funeral Home