Clarence Elgersma (1922-2007)

ELGERSMA, DOOD, KOLLASCH, SCHROEDER, KOEHNECKE, BENZ

Posted By: jane austin (email)
Date: 5/5/2017 at 04:04:00

Clarence Elgersma

A funeral service in memory of Clarence Elgersma was conducted at 1-30 p.m Friday, April 27, 2007, at Trinity United Church of Christ in Hartley, Iowa. Rev. Jeffrey Filkins and Fr. Tim Hogan officiated. Casket bearers were Andy Schroeder, Ryan Schroeder, Meredith Elgersma, Larry Benz, Dave Benz and Roger Koehnecke Interment was in Pleasant View Cemetery in Hartley. Sanborn and Hartley Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.

Clarence C. Elgersma, the son of Harry N and Tena (Dood) Elgersma was born on July 5, 1922 on a farm northwest of Hartley He was the youngest of four children. Clarence attended country school, and was a typical farm boy in the 1930s. As a young man he started farming with his dad. He also began his lifelong passion of "tinkering" in the shop. Along with farming during the 1940s, he ran his own shop. "Click's Garage"

On October 20, 1958. he married Alvina Kollasch The couple farmed together, and raised their three children, Tom, Don and Shirley.

Clarence loved farming with his family. He was very proud that his sons, daughter and son-in-law were all involved in farming. Clarence and Alvina moved into Hartley in 1991 He continued to help with the farming and milking until he was nearly 80.

In February of 2005, Clarence moved to Commu­nity Memorial Health Center as his symptoms of Alzheimer's progressed He was a kind-hearted man toward his family, friends and acquaintances. He was a member of the Hartley Christian Reformed Church, and later became a member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Hartley.

Clarence died April 24. 2007, at the age of 84 years, nine months and nineteen days.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife of nearly 50 years, Alvina. two sons and their families: Tom and Margaret Elgersma and their daughter, Meredith; and Don and Helen Elgersma and their children, Emily and Daniel, all of rural Sanborn; a daughter, Shirley and Tony Schroeder and sons Andy, Ryan. Scott and Nick of rural LeMars; one sister, Nelly Koehnecke of Hartley; one brother, Ervin and Virginia Elgersma of Lincoln, California; in-laws. Cecelia Kollasch of Spirit Lake, Iowa, Sr Mary Pierre of Dubuque. Iowa, and Art and Lou Kollasch of York, Pennsylvania, many nieces, nephews and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister and her husband, Henrietta and Russell Benz, and in-laws E P Koehnecke, Mary and Bill Thompson, and Bernard Kollasch.

Hartley (Iowa) Sentinel, May 3, 2007, p4