Burdell W. Huisinga

BURDELL W. HUISINGA

Washington

Burdell W. Huisinga, 87, of Washington, Iowa, formerly

of Aplington, Iowa, passed away on Wednesday, July 22, 2020, at Halcyon House Assisted Living in Washington, Iowa. She was born on Sept. 9, 1932, in rural Wellsburg, Iowa, to John and Edna (Schoon) Lauterbach. Burdell attended Pleasant Valley Township School through eighth grade and graduated from Aplington Community High School in 1950. After high school, she worked as a nurse's aide for Dr. Fred Rolfs in Aplington and also as a waitress at the Aplington Sale Barn.

On Oct. 17, 1952, Burdell was united in marriage to her high school sweetheart, Myrlin Huisinga, at the Christian Reformed Church in Parkersburg. Upon Myrlin's entry into the U.S. Army, Burdell followed Myrlin to his service station in Fort Smith, Ark., where she worked as a ward clerk at Sparks Memorial Hospital. Upon Myrlin's discharge from the service, the couple made their home and farmed southeast of Aplington near Buck Grove for 38 years, where they raised three children, Wesley, Beth and Sarah.

Burdell loved vegetable gardening, tending to her flowers, cooking and baking. For 60 years she was a faithful member of Aplington Presbyterian Church actively participating in bible studies and APW. Together with Myrlin, she volunteered countless hours over the years assisting the Aplington Amvets in serving dinners for all kinds of private and community events, running Saturday night bingo and for several years, managing the Amvet Food Stand at the Butler County Fair. In later years, she joined Post 285 Legion Auxiliary, where she loved to work the Sunday morning breakfasts, and in 2011 was honored as Post 285 Auxiliary Member of the Year. Her greatest pride were her children whom she supported by never missing their school events or the opportunity to accompany them to many county fairs, state fairs and Cattle Congress to watch them show cattle. Burdell was always to be found in the cattle barn preparing lunch!

Upon Myrlin's death in 1993, Burdell moved to town in Aplington and for a period of time she went back to work at her old waitress job that she had held 43 years earlier at the Aplington Sale Barn. She enjoyed working with children and became an active leader for Awanas. The most important things in life for Burdell were her faith, dedication to her family, and a strong work ethic.

Burdell is survived by her children, Wesley and his wife, Lisa of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Beth Uhlenhopp of Prairie City, Iowa, and Sarah Moeller and her husband, Donald, of Washington, Iowa, together with grandchildren, Laura (Glenn) Terpstra of Fresno, Cafli., Joseph Huisinga, of Bozeman, Mont., Zachary Uhlenhopp, of Iowa Falls, Iowa, Michaela Uhlenhopp and Morgan Uhlenhopp, of Prairie City, Iowa, and Vanessa Moeller of Marion, Iowa; and a great-grandchild due in September.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Myrlin; and a son-in-law, Daryl Uhlenhopp.

Funeral services were held 1:30 p.m. Saturday, July 25, at the Aplington Evangelical Presbyterian Church, with a private family burial service at Pleasant View Cemetery, both in Aplington.

Memorials may be directed to the Hillcrest Family Services in Dubuque or the Aplington Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Redman-Schwartz Funeral Chapel in Aplington is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be left at www.redman-schwartz.com.