Woudstra, Marlene Kaye (Mrs. Irwin Wendell "Irv") 1940-2022

WOUDSTRA, ZONNEFELD, ELGERSMA

Posted By: Marjorie Brunsting (email)
Date: 7/22/2022 at 18:39:03

Mrs. Marlene Woudstra, age 82, of Hospers, passed away on June 9, 2022, at the Sanford USD Medical Center and Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

A visitation with the family present will be held on Tuesday, June 14, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, at the First Christian Reformed Church in Hospers. There will be a funeral service on Wednesday, June 15, at 10:30am, at the church with the Rev. Duane Tinklenberg and the Rev. Aaron Gonzalez officiating. Following a time of lunch and fellowship, interment will take place at the Hospers Cemetery near Hospers. The Oolman Funeral Home in Hospers is in charge of arrangements.

Marlene Kaye was born on January 6, 1940, on her family’s farm southeast of Sanborn, the daughter of Jake and Nellie (Zonnefeld) Elgersma. She grew up on the farm with her four siblings and attended the Sanborn Christian School and the Western Christian High School in Hull, graduating in 1957.

She was united in marriage to Irwin Wendell Woudstra on June 25, 1958, at the Sanborn Christian Reformed Church. The couple made their home in Hospers, where they raised their three children. In addition to being a wife and mother, Marlene helped “Irv” in the operation of their businesses, first Woudstra Pack and later Irv’s Clover Farm grocery store. During her retirement years, she worked part-time at Hospers Furniture, and in 2014, she and Irv moved to an apartment in the ten-plex on the east side of Hospers. Irv passed away on November 1 of last year, in Sioux Falls, after more than 63 years of marriage.

Mrs. Woudstra was a member of the First Christian Reformed Church and the church’s Priscilla Society. She cherished her role as a grandmother, and she and Irv together frequented their grandchildren’s various extracurricular activities. Her family will remember her as an excellent cook, often spending Saturdays in the kitchen in preparation for Sunday dinner for her family. In earlier years, Marlene enjoyed going camping and spending time at the lake; more recently she looked forward to morning coffee with her neighbors. She liked to do embroidery work and to play card and board games.

She is survived by her three children and their spouses, Cindy and Gene Vander Griend, of Sioux Falls; Kris and Kevin Kooistra, of Hospers; and Jay and Dawn Woudstra, of Sioux Falls; six grandchildren, Brent Vander Griend, and his wife, Tracy; Nathan Vander Griend, and his wife, Erin; Kelly Kooistra, and his wife, Liz; Keith Kooistra, and his wife, Brittney; Jordyn Woudstra; and Joel Woudstra, and his wife, Katie; eleven great-grandchildren, Taylor, Bailey, Paityn, Griffin, Evie, Indie, and Lettie Vander Griend, and Ike, Bentley, Tatum, and Raelle Kooistra; a brother and his wife, Jack and Carol Elgersma; a sister-in-law, Betty Elgersma; and a brother-in-law, Rudy Jacobsen; along with numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by Irv’s parents, Isaac and Willemina Woudstra; two sisters, Janice, and her husband, Jim Van Engen; and Frances Jacobsen; a brother, Pierson Elgersma; a brother-in-law and his wife, Lloyd and Trudy Woudstra; and a sister-in-law and her husband, Gwen and Bernie Bousema.

Memorials will be given to the First Christian Reformed Church in Hospers.

Source: Oolman Funeral Home online obituary.