Osinga, Siebren 'Sam' 1917-2007

OSINGA, WOUDSTRA, VANGAMMERAN

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 3/4/2013 at 22:55:02

Sioux Center News of Dec 19, 2007
Siebren "Sam" Osinga, 90, of Sioux Center died Sunday, December 9, at Royale Meadows Care Center in Sioux Center. A funeral service was Friday at 11 a.m. at First Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center with the Rev. Carl Klompien officiating. Interment was in the Lebanon Cemetery of rural Sioux Center.

Osinga was born October 19, 1917. He was one of eight children born to Michiel and Margje (Woudstra) Osinga in Friesland, the Netherlands. He attended Christian School and lived in the Netherlands until the age of 30. On August 3, 1948, he immigrated to America and began working as a farm laborer.

He worked on the John Van Gammeran farm for a few years and fell in love with Mr. Van Gammeran's daughter, Johanna. They were married March 13, 1951. For a short time he worked in a cheese factory in Hospers. He farmed northwest of Sioux Center. from 1951-1982. His wife died in 1975 of cancer. He later married Norma Rieffer on June 20, 1981. He retired from farming in 1982 and moved to Sioux Center in 1986. His wife Norma preceded him in death on January 4, 1993. He became a resident of the Sioux Center Community Nursing Facility in 1997.

He was a longtime member of First Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center. He will be remembered for his love of singing Dutch hymns. He often recounted interesting stories of living in the Netherlands during WW II.

He is survived by his two daughters, Maria Osinga and Margie Osinga, both. of Minneapolis, Minnesota; sister Sietske, and brother, Piet, both of the Netherlands; four step daughters, Leslie Thompson, Kay Kuhl Ann Hamilton, Kelly Rieffer; stepson, Tim Rieffer; and numerous nieces and nephews.