Gloria Jean Boelman, 75, Luverne, died of cancer Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, surrounded by her family at Dougherty Hospice in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Visitation is from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, at the Hartquist Funeral Home in Luverne. A funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, at Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne. Burial will follow at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne.
Gloria Jean Hansen was born June 27, 1947, to Carl and Olga (Larson) Hansen in Luverne. She grew up on the family farm near Blue Mounds State Park north of Luverne. She was baptized on July 27, 1947, at Blue Mound Lutheran Church in rural Luverne and confirmed on Oct. 21, 1962, at Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne. She graduated from Luverne High School in 1965. After high school she worked at A. R. Wood Manufacturing for several years and worked part time for Cora Hilger during tax season.
Gloria married Larry Boelman on July 2, 1967, at Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne. The couple made their home and farmed in Kanaranzi Township, where they were blessed with four children, Troy, David, Dallas and Shelly. Gloria kept busy as a farm wife and mother. She enjoyed working with Larry in the farrowing barn as well as driving tractor and combine in the fields.
The couple retired from farming in 2013. Larry died of cancer on Feb. 4, 2015. Gloria remained on the farm and continued to be active with her grandchildren and her church.
Gloria was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne where she sang in the choir, quilted for MIA, and served as a member of the finance committee. She also served as president, chaplain and treasurer of the American Legion Auxiliary and volunteered at the Minnesota Veterans Home.
Gloria enjoyed counted cross-stitch, quilting, reading and working on puzzles.
She is survived by her son, Dallas (Tiffany) Boelman of Sioux Falls; her daughter, Shelly (Wade) Popkes of Rock Rapids, Iowa; daughter-in-law Tammy (Bob) Tuma of Northfield; seven grandchildren, Jacob (Cora) Boelman, Matthew Boelman, Kalvin Popkes, Kurtis Popkes, Allison Boelman, Abigail Boelman, and Brecken Boelman; siblings Ardyth Bowen of Luverne, Clifford (Gloria) Hansen of Lake Benton, Vivian Aarestad of Apple Valley, and Raymond (Elaine) Hansen of Luverne; and sister-in-law LaVonne (Ty) Reinke of Larchwood, Iowa.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Larry Boelman; sons David and Troy Boelman; sister Loretta Hansen; brothers-in-law Ken Bowen and Sidney Aarestad; and parents-in-law William and Jennie Boelman.
Arrangements were provided by Hartquist Funeral Home of Luverne, hartquistfuneral.com
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