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Alma Birchard

Lead Summary

Alma Ruth Birchard, 96, Luverne, died Monday, Sept. 30, 2019, at the Sanford Luverne Hospice Cottage in Luverne.
A memorial service will be 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 4, at Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne, with visitation beginning one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be in North Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Spencer, Iowa.
Alma Ruth Roskens was born on Nov. 25, 1922, the fifth of six children, to Thomas and Dena (Boyenga) Roskens in Everly, Iowa. Alma was baptized at First Reformed Church near Everly and grew up on the family farm.
She attended school in Everly and graduated from high school in 1940. She received her teacher’s certificate from Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, Iowa, and spent four years as a country schoolteacher.
On Feb. 23, 1949, Alma married Clarence Birchard in Fostoria, Iowa. Over the next years, they would make their home on farms near Fostoria, Everly, Spencer, and Maywood, Iowa, from 1975 to 1983.
Alma was a homemaker for 26 years. She was a housekeeper at New Inn and spent 20 years as a cook at the Spencer Golf and Country Club. Clarence and Alma were living on the family acreage near Everly when Alma officially retired in 2008.
In 2010, Clarence passed away. Alma then returned to Spencer where she would remain until January of 2019, when she moved to Luverne to be closer to family.  
Alma was a charter member of Hope Reformed Church in Spencer, which was founded in 1959. Alma was a hard worker and thrifty by nature. Faith and family were her first priorities. She and Clarence regularly attended their children’s high school activities and always found time to take them fishing. Alma was known for her love of ice cream and her enjoyment of March Madness.
Clarence and Alma enjoyed 20 years of wintering in Texas with family and friends. She volunteered at Sunset Apartments in Spencer. 
Alma is survived by her three children, John (Linda) of Maple Grove, Vicky (Roger) Henderson, and Larry (Roxanne) of Lowell, Arkansas; five grandchildren, Mark and Todd Henderson, Tom (Ashley) Birchand, Laura (Brennan) Torkelson, and Jason (Alyssa) Birchard; one great-grandchild, Tyler Torkelson; daughter-in-law, Kae B. Loverink of Bend, Oregon; sister-in-law, Linda Birchard of Spencer; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence; a son, Randy Birchard; and all of her siblings and their spouses.
Arrangements were provided by Hartquist Funeral Home of Luverne, www.hartquistfuneral.com.
 (1003 F)

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