Ellen & Pete Wiersma

Pete and Ellen Wiersma, together in this life for 72 years, entered into their eternal home with Jesus just a few days apart with Ellen leaving us on January 3, 2021 and Pete following on January 8, 2021.

Ellen Harriet Kooiman was born on December 3, 1929 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the first child of Albert and Tracy (Hulst) Kooiman. Soon after she was born, the family moved to Iowa, the first of many moves – her father always looking for a better farm than the last. Being the oldest child, she was tasked with taking care of her younger sisters Joyce, Patricia and Beth and brother Gene while her mom worked alongside her dad on the farm. At age 14, the family moved to southern California where youngest sister Leann was born, and 4 years later, at age 18, she met a young fellow named Pete.

Pete Wiersma was born on September 22, 1927 in the small village of Abbega, Friesland in the Netherlands. His parents were Jantze and Boukje (Smit) Wiersma and while he was still an infant, the family made the move to America eventually settling in southern California where their sponsors were waiting to help them establish their new life. Soon, brother Otto came along, followed by sisters Wilma and then Betty. Coming from generations of dairy farmers, Jantze soon acquired a few cows and a small dairy and before long Pete was in the barn helping his dad and mom with the milking. Pete and his siblings suffered the loss of their father to pneumonia when Pete was 9 years old so from then on it was he and his younger brother Otto helping his mother on the dairy.

Pete and Ellen were married on October 6, 1948 and after a few years partnered with Otto and his wife Gladys and started a dairy in Ontario, California. Otto and Gladys eventually moved onto their own dairy right next door and over the years, the kids from both families were just as comfortable at one house as the other, causing trouble at both.

Both Pete and Ellen learned the value of hard work from their parents, putting that to good use on their own dairy with Pete milking the cows and Ellen feeding them for many years. While dairying took up much of their time, they were involved in many other activities, mostly revolving around their church – Lincoln Avenue Reformed – which they helped establish in 1953. They remained faithful and active members for over sixty years, Ellen teaching Sunday School and vacation bible school, leading bible studies and women’s ministries, and Pete serving on the board, teaching Sunday school, singing in choir and trimming the church rose bushes in his later years.

Over the years, they also enjoyed getting together with their lifelong group of friends, whether at weekly league bowling or on Sunday nights after church where a mix of Dutch, Fries, and English was spoken, punctuated by bouts of hysterical laughter. The kids who witnessed this never really understood what was said, but it sure must have been funny!

Pete was also involved for many years in the Match 2 program, a ministry that matches a prison inmate with a mentor from the outside for weekly or monthly visits. He was presented with an award by California Governor Pete Wilson and General Colin Powell at a ceremony marking his 20 year involvement with the program.

Pete and Ellen are survived by their children Diana (Craig) Darby, Barbara Bothof, Peter (Annette) Wiersma, Philip (Sandy) Wiersma, and many grandchildren and great grandchildren, and also Pete’s brother Otto and his sister Betty Scheenstra, and Ellen’s sisters Beth Reisner and Leann Collings.

"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." Phillippians 3:20-21