Gertrude DeBoer, 74, Luverne, died Thursday, May 20, 2004, at Luverne Hospice Cottage in Luverne from cancer. Services were Monday, May 23, at Luverne Christian Reformed Church. The Rev. George Koopmans officiated. Burial was at Luverne Memorial Gardens Cemetery, rural Luverne. Gertrude Jansma was born to William and Alice (Van Dyk) Jansma on Jan. 26, 1930, in Timber Lake, S.D. As a young child, she moved with her parents to Hull, Iowa, then Artesia, Calif., and then to northwest Iowa where she was raised on the family farm and attended country school. Upon completion of her education, she worked for other area families. She married James DeBoer on Jan. 25, 1951, in Rock Rapids, Iowa. After their marriage, they lived in the tenant house on Jim’s family farm. Three years later, they moved to a farm in Ellis, S.D. The following year, they moved to Hull. They farmed there until 1973, when they bought a farm near Ash Creek. In 1985, she opened a day care in her home. She continued her day care after they moved to Luverne in March 1999. She closed her day care and retired in January 2001.Mrs. DeBoer was a member of Luverne Christian Reformed Church where she was a Sunday School teacher, a member of the Mary Martha Society and the Christian School Circle. She was also a member of Clintonaires Extension Club and the Day Care Association. She made several special trips, including trips to Holland, Switzerland, Alaska and Hawaii. Survivors include her husband, James DeBoer, Luverne; six children, Eugene (Ruth Ann) DeBoer, Hudsonville, Mich., LaVonne Schaefer, Brenda (Mike) Thuringer, all of Sioux Falls, S.D., Velda (Keith) Maine, Laura (Pat) Herman, and David (Lisa) DeBoer, all of Luverne; 22 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; two brothers, Tunis (Wilmyna) Jansma, Hull, and William (Harriet) Jansma, Ellsworth, one sister, Jane (Peter) DeBoer, Steen; and one sister-in-law, Berniece Jansma Barstad, Luverne. Mrs. DeBoer was preceded in death by her parents; one brother, Barteld Jansma, and a son-in-law, Rick Schaefer. A tree will be planted in memory of Gertrude DeBoer by Hospice of Luverne. Hartquist Funeral Home, Engebretson Chapel, Luverne, was in charge of arrangements.