Sandra Beth Ritsema

Sandra Beth (Vlieger) Ritsema went to be with our Lord on 8 March 2020. She was born on 20 January 1948 in Maurice, Iowa to James & Myra Vlieger and attended grade school & high school in Maurice. She attended Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa majoring in Spanish and French, and specialized in education. She married Reverend Jack Duane Ritsema on 3 August 1974 in Oelwein, Iowa, where she taught at the Junior High School. She supported her husband in his ministries as a pastor and Air Force Chaplain at every location in which they lived, as organist, pianist, and choir director for countless church services and activities. She renewed her teaching certification while Jack was assigned to Zaragoza Air Base in Spain and worked as an interpreter for the base. She returned to teaching in San Antonio, Texas at East Central High School, Clovis, New Mexico at Clovis Christian School, AGWSR High School in Ackley, Iowa, and Valley Lutheran High School in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She was also active with the Butler County Republican Committee and was a member of the Christian Educators Association International. Sandy enjoyed Bible Studies, crocheting, reading, music (solo-singing, choir, guitar, piano, organ) cooking, baking, spending time with her children & grandchildren, watching movies, playing board games, and was the 'grammar police' for her children. She was preceded in death by her parents James & Myra Vlieger, her brother Rodney, and her in-laws Jack and Dorothy Ritsema. She is survived by her husband, Jack, her children Jonathan, Sara, David, and Daniel, her Sister Kathy Leinenkugel, her brother David Vlieger, and seven grandchildren, Kayla, Jacob, Jonah, Bethany, Aidan, Cheyenne, and Kaleb. Visitation will be from 4-7pm on Thursday, 12 March 2020 at the Sietsema-Vogel Funeral Home in Dumont, Iowa. Funeral service will be at 10:30am on Friday, 13 March 2020 at the Washington Reformed Church, rural Ackley. Burial will be in the Washington Reformed Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to: Washington Reformed Church, 28182 Birch Ave, Ackley, Iowa 50601 OR Answers in Genesis: https://answersingenesis.org/donate/

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Sandra Beth Ritsema

January 20, 1948 - March 8, 2020