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Johanna (Jo) Gortsema was born Oct. 24, 1919, in Sioux Center, Iowa, to John C. and Marie VanOosbree. She joined her heavenly father Thursday, March 6, 2013, surrounded by her family. She grew up with seven brothers and sisters, graduated from Sioux Center Christian High School in 1933 and taught elementary school for five years. She moved to Washington to work for the Seattle Port of Embarkation. There she met her future husband, Charley Gortsema, at a church young people's group.
Jo and Charley were married March 1, 1946, in Sioux Center, Iowa. After the wedding, they came back to Charley's hometown of Grangeville and began farming rented parcels northwest of town. In 1956, they bought the Reed farm, previously farmed by his brother Jake.
Jo was a lifelong member of the Christian Reformed Church. Over the last several years while living at Meadowlark Assisted Living, she enjoyed attending the Nazarene Church for Sunday services. Family and church were very important to Jo, and she devoted her life to them. She also enjoyed a friendly game of Scrabble and was usually the winner. She was so good at crossword puzzles that she completed them in ink, knowing she wouldn't need to erase. Jo was a voracious reader of Christian novels and loved playing board games with other Meadowlark residents. She also enjoyed "afternoon tea times" with her cousin and sister-in-law Anna Marie Gortsema, sharing family news and memories.
Jo is survived by her three children, Ken (Margie) of Grangeville, Stan (Karen) of American Falls, and Marlene (Dale) of Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and one sister. She was preceded in death by her parents, infant son Vernon, husband Charley, four brothers and one sister.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Blackmer Funeral Home with visitation at 10 a.m. on the same day. Burial will follow at Prairie View Cemetery, Grangeville.
Memorial donations may be made to the Idaho County Food Bank and Special Olympics. |
1919 - 2013 (93 jaar)
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