Anna Tilstra, 92, Luverne, died Tuesday, May 5, 2020, at the Good Samaritan Society – Mary Jane Brown Home in Luverne.
In accordance with Minnesota Executive Order and CDC guidelines, a private family service was Friday, May 8, at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne. The recorded service is available for viewing on her webpage.
Memorials are preferred to Dollars for Scholars –Wayne Tilstra Scholarship Fund or the Luverne School’s Angel Fund for lunches.
Anna Bouwman was born Jan. 16, 1928, to William and Hendrika (Boon) Bouwman in rural Alvord, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed at Lester Bethel Reformed Church in Lester, Iowa. She spent her childhood with her family on various farms outside of Alvord and Lester. She moved to Lester for her senior year of high school and worked at part-time jobs for her room and board. She graduated from Lester High School in 1946 and then attended teacher’s training at Morningside Teacher’s College in Iowa. She then taught in Midland School #6 in Iowa.
Anna married Fred Tilstra on Dec. 28, 1948, in Doon, Iowa. They remodeled a school house near Hills for a year while they farmed. They then moved to Fred’s grandfather’s farm north of Rock Rapids, Iowa, and continued to farm. Anna also taught at Logan #7 country school in Lyon County, Iowa, and then at Hills Christian School. In 1956 they relocated to a farm southwest of Luverne, where they farmed and raised livestock. Anna was a homemaker and helped Fred with the farming operation. During the 1980s Anna worked as a clerk at Montgomery Ward in Rock Rapids.
The couple retired from farming in 1991. A highlight of Anna’s retirement years was spending 12 winters in Harlingan, Texas, with Fred.
The couple continued living on the farm in retirement until moving to The Oaks apartments in Luverne in August of 2006. Fred died in 2008. Anna continued living at The Oaks until 2016 when she moved to Prairie Creek Memory Care in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for a couple of years before moving to Good Samaritan Society – Mary Jane Brown Home in Luverne.
Anna was a member of the American Reformed Church in Luverne, where she taught Sunday school for many years and was active in circle. She was a member of Rock County Extension and the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association Auxiliary. She enjoyed crochet, embroidery, reading, and caring for her vegetable gardens on the farm.
Anna is survived by her children, Harold (Mary) Tilstra of Prior Lake, Karen (Craig) Rollag of Beaver Creek, and Luanne Tilstra (Phillip Smith) of Terre Haute, Indiana; eight grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; brothers Walter (Joan) Bouwman of Artesia, California, A. James (Esther) Bouwman and William (Carol) Bouwman, all of Rock Valley, and John (Paula) Bouwman of Fredericksburg, Texas; sisters Edith (Alvin) Hoogendorn and Angela Faber, all of Sioux Falls; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Fred; two sons, an infant and Wayne Tilstra; two brothers, Edward Bouwman and Henry Bouwman; and two sisters, Annetta Wiese and Martina Vanden Brink.
Arrangements were provided by Hartquist Funeral Home of Luverne, www.hartquistfuneral.com.
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