Albertha Smidstra

Rock Rapids, IA Albertha Smidstra age 83 of Rock Rapids, IA died Thursday March 3, 2011, at Lyon Manor Nursing and Rehab in Rock Rapids. Funeral services will be 10:30 AM, Monday, March 7th at Christian Reformed Church in Rock Rapids with Rev. Cliff Hoekstra officiating. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery in Rock Rapids. Visitation will be Sunday, March 6th from 2:00 to 8:00 PM, with the family present from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Jurrens Funeral Home of Rock Rapids. Albertha Gorter Smidstra was born March 16, 1927 near Doon, IA to John and Alice (Holtrop) Gorter. She grew up by Doon and Rock Rapids and graduated from the 8th grade attending country schools. At a young age before starting school she loved being outside helping her parents and was already milking cows. She met her future husband at Christian Reformed Church Youth Group as they were both members of the church. They fell in love and married in January of 1947. To this union five children were born. She and Bert were lifelong members of the CRC Church where she served as a member of the Ladies Circle and was a Calvinette leader. Albertha and Bert raised their children and farmed on several locations in the Rock Rapids area and she farmed right alongside her husband mainly taking care of the livestock and milking cows. In 1984 Alberthas husband Bert was killed in a tragic farm accident. In 1985 she bought a house in town and moved to Rock Rapids. Albertha had a giving and loving heart and believed in reaching out to others. She was a Hospice volunteer for many years and did home care as well. She did prison fellowship by sending letters to various inmates. She also made several Justice For All Mission trips over the years, some as far away as Mississippi. Albertha loved being with family and friends. Later in life, she made many bus trips with Fred, Tina and Annie as they went to places such as Branson, Washington DC, Nashville, Arizona, Canada among others. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren will remember her fondly. She enjoyed playing cards and games with them and watching movies together will be a fun memory as grandma would make funny comments about the characters as the show would progress. They also knew grandma was no pushover when it came game time as she was quite competitive. It took some doing to beat her. Albertha was an interesting woman. She told her children that one of her fondest memories as a youngster was spending time with her best friends, her cousins; swimming in the Rock River. She was a good softball player when she was younger. She learned to play piano by ear and loved to sing. She always enjoyed fishing with her husband and friends. She collected poetry and enjoyed crocheting. She looked forward to when it came time for the family to get together to butcher chickens. She loved to garden, as much as her health would allow and was an avid garage saler. Albertha lived through terrible tragedy in her life, with the loss of her son Charles who died in Viet Nam, son Roger in an auto accident, and finally her husband to a farming accident. Through all of the pain she never lost sight of her faith in her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who held her through it all. She knew what was most important in life were family and friends and total strangers alike and their relationship with Christ. This past Thursday, Albertha Smidstra passed away at the age of 83. She will be fondly remembered. Albertha is survived by her children, John (Judie) Smidstra, Alvin (Luella) Smidstra, and Judy (Kevin) De Kam, all of Rock Rapids; 13 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren; sister, Annie Kramer of Brandon, SD; brothers, Ed (Kathy) Gorter of New Jersey, Clarence (Dee) Gorter and Jerald (Bonnie) Gorter all of Sioux Falls, SD; sister-in-law, Helen Gorter; cousin who was like a brother, Lawrence Bouma; and many relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Alice Gorter; her husband Bert Smidstra; sons, Charles and Roger; daughter-in-law, Pam Smidstra; infant brother Peter; brothers Peter, Lawrence and Fred; and sister, Evelyn.