Wiersema, Darlene M. (Mrs. Ivan) 1947-2016

WIERSEMA, RAVE, JURGENS

Posted By: Marjorie Brunsting (email)
Date: 9/27/2016 at 17:15:43

Darlene “Grandma Dar” Wiersema, 69, of Cherokee went to Heaven on September 6, 2016 while her husband Ivan sang hymns at her side. “Grandma Dar” battled cancer since 1998, but we cannot say that she lost that battle September 6, because she won. She is resting in peace in the arms of Jesus who was always her comfort and guide in all of life’s trials and victories.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 10th, at 11 a.m. at the American Reformed Church in Primghar, Iowa. Pastor Dennis Hietbrink will officiate. Graveside services will be on Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Cherokee with family and friends invited. There will be a family prayer service at 10:45 a.m. on Saturday at the church. Visitation will be on Friday from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. with the family present from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com The family requests memorials to the American Reformed Church at Primghar, Iowa in honor of Darlene.
Dar was born May 20, 1947 in Hampton, Iowa to parents Calvin and Dorothy (Rave) Jurgens. Dar loved growing up on her parent’s farms near Sheffield, Iowa. She enjoyed being her dad’s helper, and she learned how to sew and quilt from her mother. In her younger years she also enjoyed school and graduated from Sheffield-Chapin High School in 1965. Later she attended Northwestern College in Orange City Iowa, where she graduated in 1969 with a degree in elementary education. It was at Northwestern that she met Ivan, her husband. They were married on July 11, 1969 at Zion Reformed Church, Sheffield, Iowa. After marriage Ivan and Darlene made their home in Spencer, Iowa while Ivan finished his degree at Northwestern and Dar taught 1st grade at Spencer Schools. In 1970, Ivan began working at Cherokee State Bank and Dar taught 1st grade in Sutherland, Iowa.
In 1972, Dar started her full time career as a stay at home mom to her first-born Jeremy who was later joined by Jennifer and Jaylene. However, Dar never stopped teaching, she would often help at the local preschool and substitute teach for Cherokee School District. She also loved teaching Sunday school and the last ten years she taught and led a women’s Bible study in her home. In 2002, Dar began her second full time career as Grandma Dar. Grandma Dar was blessed with nine beautiful grandchildren (and if you asked her, she’d tell you that too). She loved having them over for “Grandma Days,” and attending their plays, concerts, and sporting events. Grandma Dar loved each of her grandkids deeply and loved spoiling them because “that is Grandma’s job,” she would remind everyone.
When Grandma Dar wasn’t busy with her children and grandchildren she loved to spend time listening to her son Jeremy’s sermons and praise music. She would keep her hands busy with sewing and quilting. Grandma loved making quilts, each quilt was hand sewn with love. She passed these quilts on to grandchildren, children, family and friends.
Dar was a member of American Reformed Church in Primghar, Iowa. She loved worship services and the praise team. She was actively involved in teaching Sunday school, leading women’s Bible studies, and taking care of the church library.
Dar was an inspiration to many during her battle with cancer. She inspired doctors, nurses, family and friends with her fight to always get better. She never let it knock her down and kept her positive attitude even to the end. Her faith in her Lord and Savior sustained and gave the fight she needed. Grandma Dar would want people to remember her as a woman of faith, as a wife, mother, and grandmother not a victim of cancer.
Dar is preceded in death by her father Calvin Jurgens, her parents-in-law Elmer and Jeanetta Wiersema, sister-in-law Joann Heemstra, sister-in-law Leann Jurgens, and nephew Todd Heemstra.
Left to cherish her memory is her husband of 47 years Ivan Wiersema. Also, cherishing her memory are her children Jeremy (Amanda) Wiersema and their children Joshua, Amber, AnnMarie of Steen, Minnesota; Jennifer (Keith) Probst and their children Madison, Allison, and Matthew of Alton Iowa; Jaylene (James) De Vos and their children Julia, Joel, and Jakob of Cherokee, Iowa. She is also survived by her mother Dorothy Jurgens of Thornton Iowa; two sisters, Evanette (Darwin) Broek of Florence, Arizona/Sioux Center, Iowa; Rose (Phil) Markwardt of Thornton Iowa; two brothers, Dean (Karen) Jurgens of Thornton, Iowa; Kevin (Nan) Jurgens of Thornton, Iowa; brother-in-law Larry (Lois) Heemstra of Primghar, Iowa; sister-in-law Mary (Dale) Wurpts of Orange City, Iowa. Finally, left to cherish her memory are a host of beloved nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, and many special and beloved friends that she met along her life’s journey.

Source: Boothby Funeral Home online obituary.