Genieve "Jennie" W. Rolfes

Jennie Rolfes, age 92 of Sibley, IA died Tuesday, December 14, 2010 at the Sibley Nursing and Rehab in Sibley. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 AM Saturday, December 18th at St. Andrews Catholic Church in Sibley. Burial will follow at St. Andrews Catholic Cemetery in Sibley. Visitation will be Friday, December 17th from 2:00 to 8:00 PM, with the family present from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Jurrens Funeral Home of Sibley. Genieve W. Rolfes was born on October 25, 1918 at the family farm west of Little Rock, Iowa, the daughter of John and Jessie (Slight) Wiertsema. She attended country school and helped with the family farm. On January 18, 1940 Jennie was united in marriage to Cornelius Rolfes. The couple remained living in the Little Rock area, while Corne helped his father-in-law and other various farmers in the area. In 1944 they moved to Anaheim, CA, where Corne worked on a dairy farm. They returned home and made their living doing various enterprises. In the early 60s, Jennie and Corne moved to Colorado where they owned and operated their janitorial business. In 1988 they retired and returned to live in Sibley, IA. On March 4, 1993, Jennies husband, Corne died after 53 years of marriage. Jennie remained active while raising various livestock on an acreage south of Sibley. In May of 2007, Jennie entered the Sibley Nursing and Rehab Center, where she remained until this past Tuesday, December 14, 2010. She will be remember as a quiet, strong, hard working women who enjoyed being a homemaker and caring for her beloved animals. She is survived by her daughter, Marge (Gary) Cruts of Pueblo, CO; her son, Robert (Sylvia) Rolfes of Sibley, IA; six grandchildren, Kimela Diamond of Pueblo, CO, Robin (Dan) Nassimbene of Colorado Springs, CO, Patsy (Doug) Weber of Ashton, IA, Mellisa (Layton) Gruis of Ellsworth, MN, Andrea (Mike) Block of Sibley, IA and Micheal Rolfes of Sibley, IA; nine great-grandchildren; and other extended family. She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Jessie Wiertsema; loving husband, Cornelius Rolfes; three sisters, Anna Kruger, Gracie Sprock and Hermina Janssen; and two brothers, George and Ralph Wiertsema.