Her funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 27, 2017 at the Emmanuel Reformed Church in Springfield, with John McNeill officiating. Burial will be in the Springfield Cemetery. Visitation will be at the church the hour before the service. Crosby-Jaeger Funeral Home of Springfield is in charge of the arrangements.

Deborah Faye Jelsma, daughter of Edward and Doris (Gilmore) Halbersma, was born November 4, 1962 in Pipestone, MN. She passed away peacefully Friday, July 21, 2017 at St. Michael's Hospital in Tyndall. Deb attained the age of 54 years, eight months and 18 days.

Deb grew up on a farm near Verdi, MN and attended school in Verdi from K-12. She accepted the Lord as her Savior and was baptized. She became a member of the First Baptist Church in Lake Benton, MN.

Following high school, she attended the University of Minnesota Morris and the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities. Here, she received her bachelors of science in Elementary Education and then worked as a substitute teacher for two years. Deb then moved to Sioux Falls where she worked at a preschool and went to Augustana and became certified in special education. She then moved to Mitchell and taught special education for two years at Ethan.

During this time, she met her soul mate, Ivan Keith Jelsma and they were married June 19, 1993. They were bless with four children: Les, Nicholas, Deann and Johanna. During their years together, Deb helped on the farm, gardened, taught preschool for ten years, taught Sunday School and raised their children.

Deb enjoyed seeing each changing season and the animals born on the farm each Spring. She loved being involved in their children's lives and cherished each one. Deb always felt blessed to find and marry a Christian husband who did devotions with her every morning.

Thankful for having shared her life are her husband, Ivan of Springfield; sons: Les of Mitchell and Nicholas of Springfield; daughters: Deann and Johanna both at home; sister, Elizabeth (Greg) Short of Sioux Falls; step-mother, Rozella Halbersma of Sioux Falls; step-brother, Ferlyn (Karen) Hofer of Canistota; step-sister, Jerrilyn (Scott) Samberg of Gillette, WY; and many in-laws, nieces and nephews.

Deb was preceded in death by her father and mother; brother, Ralph; and grandparents.