Mary Ann Ackerman, 94, formerly of Luverne, died Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020, at the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills.
A private family funeral was Tuesday, Oct. 27, at the Luverne Christian Reformed Church in Luverne. Burial followed at Pleasant View Cemetery in Valley Springs, South Dakota.
Mary Ann Kosters was born on Aug. 17, 1926, to Edd and Mary (Bartels) Kosters in Carmel, Iowa. The family lived in Sioux Falls, Valley Springs, Hills, and farmed. Mary Ann met Abram “Bud” Ackerman at the church youth group. She worked on the Ackerman farm while Bud served in World War II.
Bud and Mary Ann were married on May 14, 1947, at the Christian Reformed Church in Hills. They made their home on the family farm where she was a farmer and farm wife her whole life. They retired in 1991 and continued living on their farm until Nov. 11, 2014, when they moved to Viste Manor Apartment in Hills. Mary Ann then moved to The Oaks in Luverne. She lived with her granddaughter in Luverne prior to moving to the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills in October of 2019.
Mary Ann was a member of the Christian Reformed Church in Luverne. She was baptized on June 10, 1927, and made profession of faith in August 1946. She received membership from the Hills Christian Reformed Church on Nov. 15, 1964. She was involved in Mary Martha Circle, choir, work groups, Faith Builders Bible study, and Hills Christian School circle. She loved embroidering dish towels for the school fundraisers. She was president of the Valley Springs American Legion Auxiliary.
Mary Ann was a lifelong Minnesota Twins fan. She and Bud enjoyed many fishing outings. Mary Ann also kept a family tree for both the Ackerman and Kosters families back to the families’ arrival from Holland. Mary Ann loved gardening flowers and vegetables, and she and Bud enjoyed canning and freezing their produce over the years. She was also known for her green thumb with houseplants.
Mary Ann is survived by her granddaughters Mary (Miles) Brown of Luverne and their children Brenna (Dylan) Richters and their son Sawyer, Zoe (Zach) Singer, Thomas, Zachary and Liam Brown; Katie (Seth Richter of Minneapolis and their daughters Stella and Sadie; her brother Rod (Anna) Kosters; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Abram “Bud” Ackerman; her daughter, Henrietta (M. Paul) Jackson; her grandson, Stuart Jackson; her brothers Alan, Gerald and Hank Kosters; her sisters Grace Kroon, Irma Halverson and Phylis Bliss.
Arrangements were provided by Hartquist Funeral Home of Luverne, www.hartquistfuneral.com.
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