Arlene Bierema, 91, of Springfield, died Nov. 13.
Funeral services are 1:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 19, 2021 at the Emmanuel Reformed Church in Springfield. Visitation will be Friday from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at the church. Burial is in the Emmanuel Reformed Cemetery, rural Springfield. Peters Funeral Home in Springfield is in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be directed to Emmanuel Reformed Church.
Arlene Cornelia (Tjeerdsma) Bierema was born to Peter and Annie (Odens) Tjeerdsma on Jan. 6, 1930, in the Springfield, SD area. She passed away Saturday, November 13, 2021 at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Yankton, SD.
She attended Kirkwood country school and graduated from Springfield High School in 1948.
On July 7, 1949, she was united in marriage to Sidney James Bierema, the son of Peter and Sadie Bierema, at the home of the bride’s parents. To this union eleven children were born, 5 sons and 6 daughters.
She was a stay-at-home mom who loved to bake bread and sew. She made shirts for the boys and dresses for the girls. She was a 4-H leader who taught her daughters to bake and sew. She enjoyed baking cookies for her grandchildren. She made many blue jean denim quilts for family members, just ask one of the grandkids they probably have a blue jean quilt in their car or pickup that was made by Grandma Arlene.
In retirement she and Sidney spent many hours at auctions. She kept in touch with farming by watching the various trucks, tractors and wagons, sprayers and fertilizers that went to and from Kingsburg. She loved watching the various birds in the bird bath on her yard.
She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, parents-in-law, and brother Oscar Tjeerdsma.
She is survived by her children: Allen (Jeryln) of Tyndall, Charlene of Springfield, Harvey (Brenda) of White River, Myron (Kim) of Springfield, Aletha (Hal) Whitethorn of Madison, Ivan (Cindy) of St. Onge, Vera (Joe) Hall of Wagner, Miriam (Bill) Leibel of Tyndall, Arlis (Dan) Kafka of Wagner, Amy (Randy) Thum of Scotland and Theran of Sioux Falls; 30 grandchildren and 46 great grandchildren; brother Gerald (Betty) Tjeerdsma of Springfield and sister Bernice (Elmer) Tolsma of Avon