Tillie Oudekerk, 1927-2015
Published 9:49 am Thursday, August 6, 2015
Funeral services for Tillie Oudekerk, 87, of Albert Lea will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home. The Rev. Clayton Balsley will officiate. Interment will be at Blooming Prairie Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday and one hour prior to the service on Monday. Online condolences are welcome at www.bayviewfuneral.com.
Tillie died Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2015, at Oak Park Place in Albert Lea.
Tillie Oudekerk was born Oct. 5, 1927, in Sheldon, Iowa, the daughter of Arie and Lena (Oldenkamp) Noordhoek. She lived in various locations throughout the country as she was growing up. She eventually settled in Hollandale with her family in the early 1940s. Tillie was united in marriage to Sam Oudekerk on Jan. 23, 1947, and they farmed together in Hollandale for several years. They moved to Myrtle in 1956, where they continued to farm. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Oakland. Tillie kept busy caring for her family and her farm. She enjoyed crocheting, gardening, painting, playing the organ and fishing. She was well known for her strawberry rhubarb jam.
Survivors include her sons Roelf (Sandra) Oudekerk, Arie (Dawn Wollschlager) Oudekerk and Tom (Patty) Oudekerk; grandchildren Travis Oudekerk, Trenton Oudekerk, James (Tammy) Oudekerk, Troy (Tammy) Oudekerk, Tamra Kirschbaum and Arianne (Ryan) Steenblock; step-grandchildren Curt (Catherine) Bauers, Jim Bauers, Mitch (Meghan) Bauers, Melissa (Craig) Schmidt and Zoé Oudekerk; eight great-grandchildren; 10 step-great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law Harriet Thoren, Cora Maupin, Rosie Holecek, Sara Noordhoek, Anna Noordhoek and Lila Noordhoek; and many nieces and nephews.
Tillie was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Sam; a daughter in infancy; brothers Leonard (Elsie) Noordhoek, Garrit Noordhoek, Bill Noordhoek and John Noordhoek; sisters Gertrude (Oathel) Kendal and Maggie (Tony) Kochis; brothers-in-law Lloyd Thoren, Lawrence Maupin, Bob Holecek, Henry, John, Koert and John Oudekerk; and sisters-in-law Jesse Oudekerk, Irene Miller and Elizabeth Oudekerk.