Boersma, Albert "A.J." 1907-2003

BOERSMA, ZYLSTRA

Posted By: Mary Lou Verburg (email)
Date: 7/23/2014 at 08:37:51

Born: January 22, 1907, Rinsumageest,The Netherlands
Died: October 26, 2003 Sioux Center, Iowa

Albert "A.J." Boersma, 96, of Sioux Center died Sunday October 26, at the Sioux Center Nursing Facility.

Funeral services will be Thursday at 10 a.m. at First Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center with the Rev. Bernie Haan officiating. Burial will follow in Richland Cemetery of Inwood.

Boersma was born January 22, 1907, in the village of Rinsumageest, The Netherlands, to Cornelius and Pietje (Zylstra) Boersma. He was the youngest of a family of five children. He immigrated to the United States with his family at the age of four, landing at Ellis Island on March 28, 1911. His family lived in Prospect Park, New Jersey, before settling in Fairview, S.D. where they began farming. Some years later they moved to a farm near Inwood. He attended Western Christian High School in Hull and Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI. to pay for his education he was a Fuller Brush salesman and taught seventh grade at the Hudsonville, MI. He graduated from Westmar College in Le Mars. After a teaching stint in Pease, MN, he accepted his major assignment as principal of Sioux Center Christian School in 1948. He was an instructor and principal at Sioux Center Christian for 23 years.

For many years he also was a landscape horticulturist for the Dordt College grounds department. He was an avid bird watcher, and over the years placed many bluebird houses in the wooded hills of Fairview and Canton, S.D. Many remember the hundreds of seedling trees he distributed to area seventh and eighth graders over the years, which now have become beautiful full-grown trees.

Surviving are 12 nieces and nephews including Marion (Angie) Boersma of Portland, OR, Ed (Judy) Boersma of Minneapolis, MN, Cornelia Boersma of Spearfish, S.D. Bob (Grace) Boersma of Glenwood, Alice Faber and Sadie (Jim) Faber both of Inwood, Henry (Doris) Folkerts of Union Gap, AZ. Cornie (Gert Folkerts of Inwood, Jean (Leonard) Kowalski of Gilbert, AZ, Roy (Lois) Folkerts of Inwood and Bess (Norman) Bolkema of Albuquerque, N.M. and his two pals Harold Aardema of Doon, and Warren Sneider of Sioux Center.

He was preceded in death by three brothers and two sisters.

Source: Local Paper after October 26, 2003