Doris Wiarda

Rock Rapids, IA Doris Wiarda, age 80 of Rock Rapids, IA died Thursday, February 12, 2015 at the Hudson Care Center in Hudson, SD. Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m., Monday, Feb. 16th at First Reformed Church of Rock Rapids, IA, with Rev. Dan Haggar officiating. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery in Rock Rapids. Visitation will be Sunday, Feb. 15th from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., with family present from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Jurrens Funeral Home of Rock Rapids. Doris Marie (Burkhart) Wiarda was born May 7, 1934 on a farm east of Dell Rapids, South Dakota, the daughter of John and Myrtie (Greiff) Burkhart. She had two brothers, Andrew and Wayne and a sister, Mada, who died in infancy. She had perfect attendance for all 8 years at Pleasant View #100 country school, the last years it was open. In 1950 she made her confession of faith at Logan Reformed Church located near their farm. She graduated from Dell Rapids Public School in 1952 and was valedictorian. As a young lady she spent one summer Caravanning in the eastern U.S. teaching Bible School at many churchs. She also spent one summer working at the Continental Can Company in Chicago, IL. Doris was included in the last class to graduate from Central College, Pella, Iowa, that could teach with only a two year certificate (class of 55'). She taught at Fort Dodge, Iowa, until marrying James Wiarda on June 19, 1956 at Logan Reformed Church in Dell Rapids, SD. They had met at Central College. During Jim's last year at Central she taught at Newton, Iowa. They returned to Jim's home town of Rock Rapids, Iowa where Doris taught kindergarten for a short while and substituted for several years. She chose to be a full time Mother to her children Sonia Jean and John Mervin. After her children were in grade school, she took one or two courses each semester at Sioux Falls College (now the University of Sioux Falls) to obtain her four year teaching degree in 1972. This let her return to her passion of teaching, as a substitute. On July 24, 1981, she started working at the Rock Rapids Health Centre as the activity coordinator and continued working there until retirement on May 7, 1996. Over the years she taught Sunday School, Bible School (was also Bible School coordinator), catechism classes and was active in the Reformed Church Women's organization. Jim started singing with the Senior Saints of Northwest IA just before he retired and Doris joined them a year later after enjoying their concerts and friendship. She sang with them for about 8 years. The two spent a lot of vacations fishing with Doris doing a lot of reading, but still catching about as many fish as Jim. Dancing and playing cards with their friends were other interests. Doris's husband, Jim was diagnosed with Cancer and died on April 8, 2000 after 43 years of marriage. After retiring Doris volunteered at Central Lyon grade school, the nursing homes and corrected Bible lessons for prisoners through Crossroads Bible Institute. After school she helped Tina Ruth, Brady Spykeboer and Kaden Huisman with their reading skills. They were her "pretend" grandchildren. The governor of Iowa awarded her with a Volunteer Award in 2001. A miniature Schnauzer named Mitzi, became her pal in 2002 and did tricks for the residents of the nursing homes. Doris also became a seasoned traveler taking many bus tours including one to the Rose Bowl Parade with her children. Other trips included Alaska, Australia, New Zeeland and many countries in Europe. She even checked off one of her "bucket list" items by getting to the top of the Swiss Alps. Her family will remember Doris as a loving, wife, mother and friend with a strong faith and passion for serving others. She has taken her final trip, "to Heaven". She is survived by her two children, Sonia (husband, Kevin) Koehler of Sioux Center, IA and John (wife, Deanna) Wiarda of Brandon, SD; brother, Wayne (wife, Lois) Burkhart of Dell Rapids, SD. Doris is preceded in death by her parents John and Myrtie, sister Mada, brother Andrew and husband Jim.