Bertha Boelkens

Bertha Boelkens, age 84, of rural Milledgeville, Illinois, died at home on Saturday, November 18, 2006, surrounded by her loving family. A Funeral Service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 22, 2006 at the Frank-Law-Jones Funeral Home, Mt. Carroll, Illinois. Reverend Herb Bollman of the Faith Reformed Church in Lanark, Illinois, will officiate. Friends may call from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 21, 2006, at the Frank-Law-Jones Funeral Home, Mt. Carroll. Burial will be in the Schriner Cemetery, Lima Township, Illinois. Memorials may be given to the Faith Reformed Church, Lanark, Illinois, or to Gideons International in Bertha’s memory.
Bertha was born on November 10, 1922, at home in Morrison, Illinois, the daughter of Timothy and Henrietta (Dykema) Van Kampen. She attended Southside and Northside Elementary Schools in Morrison and also attended Morrison High School. On February 18, 1943, she married Clarence Jean Boelkens at the home of the bride in Morrison, Illinois. Clarence died on October 31, 1999 at his home.
Bertha worked briefly at Vaulkmen Furniture Factory in Morrison, Illinois. Bertha and Clarence first farmed in Fairhaven Township, Illinois and, in 1944 they moved to the Milledgeville area where they farmed for over sixty-one years. Bertha was a charter member of the Faith Reformed Church in Lanark, Illinois, where she also taught Sunday School. Bertha was a beloved wife, devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
Bertha is survived by four sons; Delbert (Dorothy) Boelkens of Forreston, Illinois, Donald (Janice) Boelkens of Milledgeville, David (Janalee) Boelkens of Lanark, and Stanley Boelkens of Milledgeville; three daughters, Joyce (Randy) Stenback of German Valley, Illinois, Janet Winters of Milledgeville and Jane (Dana) Miller of Mt. Carroll; fifteen grandchildren, Michael (Angie) Boelkens, Daryl Boelkens, Brian Boelkens, Tim Boelkens and his fiancée Erin Heyen, Myra (Chris) Mullen, Jennifer (Toby) Taylor, Stephanie (Jeremy) Wilhelms, Charlotte (Daniel) Stoehr, Dee Ann (Marty) Heinrich, Randy Jr. (Dawn) Stenback, Heather (Frank) Zahn, Krystal Winters and her fiancée Tom Reuber, Samantha Winters, Kayla Miller, Shane Miller; twelve great-grandchildren, Destiny Zahn, Jacob Boelkens, Robert Stenback, Tymon Stoehr, Samuel Stoehr, Naomi Mullen, Carson Taylor, Brady Heinrich, Adeline Stoehr, Jack Stenback, Cooper Taylor, and Lily Mullen; one sister, Mary (Henry) Drolema of Sterling, Illinois; one sister-in-law, Ida Mae Stuart of Morrison, Illinois; and many nieces and nephews.
Bertha is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Clarence Boelkens; two sisters, Hazel and Harry Davis and Julia and Elvin Norman; one brother, Harold Van Kampen; two nieces, Joanne Norman and Ruth Ann Groenewold; two nephews, Loren Tiesman and Bill Snyder; two sisters in-law, Bernice (Al) Faber and Florence (Marv) Wiersema and two brothers in-law, James Stuart and Wesley Kooi.