Gert Sjaarda

Gertrude Sjaarda, 90, of Sioux Center, IA died Saturday, November 23, 2013, at the Sioux Center Community Hospital. A visitation will be held on Tuesday from 4-8PM, with the family present from 5-7PM at the Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center. A prayer service for family and friends will be held on Wednesday at 9:45AM at the First Reformed Church of Sioux Center. Interment will follow the prayer service in Sherman Township Cemetery of Maurice, IA. A memorial service will be held Wednesday at 11:00AM at First Reformed Church of Sioux Center with Rev. Roger Voskuil officiating. The family of Gert Sjaarda prefers memorials to the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Gertrude Alida Sjaarda was born August 10, 1923, in Ireton, Iowa to Edward and Trina (Van Schepen) Van Engen. She attended Ireton Christian School through 8th grade and two years at the Ireton High School in Ireton. On January 9, 1947, she married Thomas Smit of Rock Valley, Iowa. They farmed south of Maurice, Iowa for 40 years and attended Maurice Reformed Church. Tom passed away November 27, 1987. Gertrude lived on the farm two and half years and then moved into Maurice. On January 2, 1993, she married John Sjaarda and moved to Sioux Center. Gertrude was a gracious and caring lady whose love of the Lord was evident in her relationships with family and friends. Tom and Gert loved to camp and fish with friends. She always had a huge garden. She made afghans for all of her children and grandchildren. There was bowling, ceramics, cooking, watching her Minnesota Twins, with her sister Louise, and spending the winters in Texas. She taught her grandkids and great-grandkids how to play the card game: Golf. John and Gert had many friends over for coffee and card playing. Over the years, many of her loves were slowly taken away when her eyesight was diminished. Marianne Sjaarda made sure Gert always had books on tape, she fixed puzzles and if the Crown Pointe activity bus was leaving, Gert was on it. She loved her dear sisters, nicknamed the "Negie sisters," and they were quite the group of sisters to spend time with. They were by her side to the very end. Survivors are her four daughters: Tyanne (Dennis) Downing of Denver, CO, Donna (Verlyn) Zwart of Hawarden, Carla Anderson of Jefferson, SD, and Bonnie Uhrich of Sioux Center; a son, Dale Smit of Orange City; stepson, Jim (Marianne) Sjaarda of Ireton; stepdaughter, Joan (Mark) Wiemann of Algona, IA; stepdaughter-in-law, Annette Sjaarda of Ireton, 14 grandchildren; 11 step-grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren and 10 step-great-grandchildren. Survivors also include her five sisters, Geneva Hoolsema of Michigan, Jean (George) Veltema of Michigan, Joyce (Harold) Baker of Orange City, Marlene (John) Natelborg of Michigan and Carol (Jim) Van Wyhe of Ireton and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Tom Smit and John Sjaarda; a daughter Beverly Ann; daughter-in-law, Verla Smit; sons-in-law, Dwight Anderson and Brian Uhrich; a great-granddaughter Trinity Uhrich; two stepsons, John Martin and Judson Sjaarda; brother, Glenn Van Engen; sister, Louise Kaelke and other dear extended family.