Alvira (Vi) Annabelle (Bleeker) Foiles, 92, Stevens Point, WI and formerly Raymond, SD, went home to be with the Lord in the early hours of Thursday, January 18, 2018, at The Lodge in Plover WI.
Visitation with family present will be 5-7pm, Tuesday, January 23, 2018, at Furness Funeral Home in Clark. Funeral Services will be 10:30am, Wednesday, January 24, 2018, at Emmanuel Church of Doland, SD, with interment to follow at Clark, SD in the Rose Hill Cemetery.
Alvira (Vi) Annabelle Bleeker was born October 19, 1925, to Hiram T. and Grace (Burfeindt) Bleeker on their farm near Chancellor SD. She was the 2nd of 6 children. She lived there until she was 13 when the farm was lost during the Depression. Alvira graduated in 1943 from Rock Rapids (IA) High School. She accepted Christ as her personal Savior at an early age, and became committed to pursuing a career in medical missions work overseas. After high school she attended Northwestern Bible College (now University of Northwestern, St. Paul) in Minneapolis where she received a Bachelors’ Degree in Biblical Studies. She then obtained her R.N. from Bartron School of Nursing at Watertown, SD. It was while a nursing student that she first became acquainted with John Foiles.
Committed to going to India, she was delayed for several years due to the unrest in the region. During this time, she worked as a surgical nurse in Worthington, MN. Vi finally realized her dream and went to (West) Pakistan in 1952, with TEAM to establish a hospital in the foothills of the Himalayas. In 1958, she was forced to return to the United States due to health issues. She returned to nursing in Worthington.
On December 3, 1960, Vi married John Foiles (nearly 10 years after meeting) and settled on the Foiles family farm in Logan Township, near Raymond, SD. They had two children, Norma and Dale. She was very involved in the farming operation, caring for stock animals and keeping the books. She worked for several years at the Clark Nursing Home. She was also very involved in her community, working with American Cancer Society, AFS, FNA and Farm Bureau. She was a member of Emmanuel Church and taught adult Sunday School for many years. She frequently spoke to church groups and other organizations of her adventures overseas.
In 2010, John and Alvira left the farm and moved to Stevens Point WI to be closer to their daughter. There, Vi’s primary title was Grandma as she watched her grandson Daniel before and after school.
Known for her strong faith, hospitality, compassion to neighbors needing medical assistance and advocacy for cancer patients, her first priority was always her family. She went home to be with the Lord due to complications from heart problems.
She is survived by her husband of 57 years, John, Stevens Point, WI; daughter, Norma (Lloyd) Roach, Stevens Point, WI, and son, Dale (Dawn) Foiles, Raymond, SD; six grandchildren, Laura Lola, Katherine, Rob, Jacob, & Emily Foiles and Daniel Roach; also, her ‘adopted’ son, David (Elizabeth) Jenni, Redmond, WA; two brothers, Lemoyne Bleeker, Sheldon, IA, and Melvin (Jan) Bleeker, Minneapolis, MN; and many beloved nieces and nephews.
Vi is preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Elton (Florence), and Ivan Bleeker; and one sister, Celesta Bleeker.
Funeral arrangements are with the Heartland Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Brandon, SD http://www.heartlandfunerals.com and locally by the Furness Funeral Home at Clark where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com
- Furness Funeral Home
Visitation with family present will be 5-7pm, Tuesday, January 23, 2018, at Furness Funeral Home in Clark. Funeral Services will be 10:30am, Wednesday, January 24, 2018, at Emmanuel Church of Doland, SD, with interment to follow at Clark, SD in the Rose Hill Cemetery.
Alvira (Vi) Annabelle Bleeker was born October 19, 1925, to Hiram T. and Grace (Burfeindt) Bleeker on their farm near Chancellor SD. She was the 2nd of 6 children. She lived there until she was 13 when the farm was lost during the Depression. Alvira graduated in 1943 from Rock Rapids (IA) High School. She accepted Christ as her personal Savior at an early age, and became committed to pursuing a career in medical missions work overseas. After high school she attended Northwestern Bible College (now University of Northwestern, St. Paul) in Minneapolis where she received a Bachelors’ Degree in Biblical Studies. She then obtained her R.N. from Bartron School of Nursing at Watertown, SD. It was while a nursing student that she first became acquainted with John Foiles.
Committed to going to India, she was delayed for several years due to the unrest in the region. During this time, she worked as a surgical nurse in Worthington, MN. Vi finally realized her dream and went to (West) Pakistan in 1952, with TEAM to establish a hospital in the foothills of the Himalayas. In 1958, she was forced to return to the United States due to health issues. She returned to nursing in Worthington.
On December 3, 1960, Vi married John Foiles (nearly 10 years after meeting) and settled on the Foiles family farm in Logan Township, near Raymond, SD. They had two children, Norma and Dale. She was very involved in the farming operation, caring for stock animals and keeping the books. She worked for several years at the Clark Nursing Home. She was also very involved in her community, working with American Cancer Society, AFS, FNA and Farm Bureau. She was a member of Emmanuel Church and taught adult Sunday School for many years. She frequently spoke to church groups and other organizations of her adventures overseas.
In 2010, John and Alvira left the farm and moved to Stevens Point WI to be closer to their daughter. There, Vi’s primary title was Grandma as she watched her grandson Daniel before and after school.
Known for her strong faith, hospitality, compassion to neighbors needing medical assistance and advocacy for cancer patients, her first priority was always her family. She went home to be with the Lord due to complications from heart problems.
She is survived by her husband of 57 years, John, Stevens Point, WI; daughter, Norma (Lloyd) Roach, Stevens Point, WI, and son, Dale (Dawn) Foiles, Raymond, SD; six grandchildren, Laura Lola, Katherine, Rob, Jacob, & Emily Foiles and Daniel Roach; also, her ‘adopted’ son, David (Elizabeth) Jenni, Redmond, WA; two brothers, Lemoyne Bleeker, Sheldon, IA, and Melvin (Jan) Bleeker, Minneapolis, MN; and many beloved nieces and nephews.
Vi is preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Elton (Florence), and Ivan Bleeker; and one sister, Celesta Bleeker.
Funeral arrangements are with the Heartland Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Brandon, SD http://www.heartlandfunerals.com and locally by the Furness Funeral Home at Clark where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com
- Furness Funeral Home
Alvira (Vi) Annabelle (Bleeker) Foiles, 92, Stevens Point, WI and formerly Raymond, SD, went home to be with the Lord in the early hours of Thursday, January 18, 2018, at The Lodge in Plover WI.
Visitation with family present will be 5-7pm, Tuesday, January 23, 2018, at Furness Funeral Home in Clark. Funeral Services will be 10:30am, Wednesday, January 24, 2018, at Emmanuel Church of Doland, SD, with interment to follow at Clark, SD in the Rose Hill Cemetery.
Alvira (Vi) Annabelle Bleeker was born October 19, 1925, to Hiram T. and Grace (Burfeindt) Bleeker on their farm near Chancellor SD. She was the 2nd of 6 children. She lived there until she was 13 when the farm was lost during the Depression. Alvira graduated in 1943 from Rock Rapids (IA) High School. She accepted Christ as her personal Savior at an early age, and became committed to pursuing a career in medical missions work overseas. After high school she attended Northwestern Bible College (now University of Northwestern, St. Paul) in Minneapolis where she received a Bachelors’ Degree in Biblical Studies. She then obtained her R.N. from Bartron School of Nursing at Watertown, SD. It was while a nursing student that she first became acquainted with John Foiles.
Committed to going to India, she was delayed for several years due to the unrest in the region. During this time, she worked as a surgical nurse in Worthington, MN. Vi finally realized her dream and went to (West) Pakistan in 1952, with TEAM to establish a hospital in the foothills of the Himalayas. In 1958, she was forced to return to the United States due to health issues. She returned to nursing in Worthington.
On December 3, 1960, Vi married John Foiles (nearly 10 years after meeting) and settled on the Foiles family farm in Logan Township, near Raymond, SD. They had two children, Norma and Dale. She was very involved in the farming operation, caring for stock animals and keeping the books. She worked for several years at the Clark Nursing Home. She was also very involved in her community, working with American Cancer Society, AFS, FNA and Farm Bureau. She was a member of Emmanuel Church and taught adult Sunday School for many years. She frequently spoke to church groups and other organizations of her adventures overseas.
In 2010, John and Alvira left the farm and moved to Stevens Point WI to be closer to their daughter. There, Vi’s primary title was Grandma as she watched her grandson Daniel before and after school.
Known for her strong faith, hospitality, compassion to neighbors needing medical assistance and advocacy for cancer patients, her first priority was always her family. She went home to be with the Lord due to complications from heart problems.
She is survived by her husband of 57 years, John, Stevens Point, WI; daughter, Norma (Lloyd) Roach, Stevens Point, WI, and son, Dale (Dawn) Foiles, Raymond, SD; six grandchildren, Laura Lola, Katherine, Rob, Jacob, & Emily Foiles and Daniel Roach; also, her ‘adopted’ son, David (Elizabeth) Jenni, Redmond, WA; two brothers, Lemoyne Bleeker, Sheldon, IA, and Melvin (Jan) Bleeker, Minneapolis, MN; and many beloved nieces and nephews.
Vi is preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Elton (Florence), and Ivan Bleeker; and one sister, Celesta Bleeker.
Funeral arrangements are with the Heartland Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Brandon, SD http://www.heartlandfunerals.com and locally by the Furness Funeral Home at Clark where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com
- Furness Funeral Home
Visitation with family present will be 5-7pm, Tuesday, January 23, 2018, at Furness Funeral Home in Clark. Funeral Services will be 10:30am, Wednesday, January 24, 2018, at Emmanuel Church of Doland, SD, with interment to follow at Clark, SD in the Rose Hill Cemetery.
Alvira (Vi) Annabelle Bleeker was born October 19, 1925, to Hiram T. and Grace (Burfeindt) Bleeker on their farm near Chancellor SD. She was the 2nd of 6 children. She lived there until she was 13 when the farm was lost during the Depression. Alvira graduated in 1943 from Rock Rapids (IA) High School. She accepted Christ as her personal Savior at an early age, and became committed to pursuing a career in medical missions work overseas. After high school she attended Northwestern Bible College (now University of Northwestern, St. Paul) in Minneapolis where she received a Bachelors’ Degree in Biblical Studies. She then obtained her R.N. from Bartron School of Nursing at Watertown, SD. It was while a nursing student that she first became acquainted with John Foiles.
Committed to going to India, she was delayed for several years due to the unrest in the region. During this time, she worked as a surgical nurse in Worthington, MN. Vi finally realized her dream and went to (West) Pakistan in 1952, with TEAM to establish a hospital in the foothills of the Himalayas. In 1958, she was forced to return to the United States due to health issues. She returned to nursing in Worthington.
On December 3, 1960, Vi married John Foiles (nearly 10 years after meeting) and settled on the Foiles family farm in Logan Township, near Raymond, SD. They had two children, Norma and Dale. She was very involved in the farming operation, caring for stock animals and keeping the books. She worked for several years at the Clark Nursing Home. She was also very involved in her community, working with American Cancer Society, AFS, FNA and Farm Bureau. She was a member of Emmanuel Church and taught adult Sunday School for many years. She frequently spoke to church groups and other organizations of her adventures overseas.
In 2010, John and Alvira left the farm and moved to Stevens Point WI to be closer to their daughter. There, Vi’s primary title was Grandma as she watched her grandson Daniel before and after school.
Known for her strong faith, hospitality, compassion to neighbors needing medical assistance and advocacy for cancer patients, her first priority was always her family. She went home to be with the Lord due to complications from heart problems.
She is survived by her husband of 57 years, John, Stevens Point, WI; daughter, Norma (Lloyd) Roach, Stevens Point, WI, and son, Dale (Dawn) Foiles, Raymond, SD; six grandchildren, Laura Lola, Katherine, Rob, Jacob, & Emily Foiles and Daniel Roach; also, her ‘adopted’ son, David (Elizabeth) Jenni, Redmond, WA; two brothers, Lemoyne Bleeker, Sheldon, IA, and Melvin (Jan) Bleeker, Minneapolis, MN; and many beloved nieces and nephews.
Vi is preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Elton (Florence), and Ivan Bleeker; and one sister, Celesta Bleeker.
Funeral arrangements are with the Heartland Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Brandon, SD http://www.heartlandfunerals.com and locally by the Furness Funeral Home at Clark where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com
- Furness Funeral Home
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