Leola Hornstra, 101, of Springfield

Leola died Monday, November 16, 2020 at the Good Samaritan Society in Tyndall. Due to current health concerns, a private burial will be held at the Pioneer Cemetery, rural Springfield. Memorial services will be held in Springfield in the Spring. Peters Funeral Chapel in Springfield is in charge of arrangements.

Leola was born on April 3, 1919 in a sod home near Avon, South Dakota. She was the first child of Anna (Plaatje) Pudwill and Jacob Pudwill. She attended school and graduated from Avon High School. The next year she attended Southern Normal School and graduated with a teaching certificate. She then began teaching in what was known at that time as "country schools" in which she often taught all eight grades. Leola received her Bachelor degree and taught in the Avon and Burke elementary schools until she was 68 years old.

Leola met Gary Hornstra when she was 18 years old when she stayed at his sister's home while attending college. They were married in November of 1939. They moved to Tabor where Gary began his Standard Oil business. During a blizzard in March 1943 their first child Judith Ann was born at home. Three years later a son, James, was born prematurely and died 10 days later. Robert was born on January 1, 1950 and another son Dale was born in September five years later.

Leola loved many crafts including making quilts. Her last quilt was for a great grandson when she was 99 years old. She was exceptional at crocheting and made her daughter and granddaughter crocheted tablecloths that took as much as six hours to make one round. After a move to Springfield in 1948, she became very active in the Congregational Church that became the United Church of Christ. She served on many committees and belonged to a number of organizations in Springfield.

In 1997 Gary preceded her in death. She continued to live in Springfield until 2014 when she moved to Sioux Falls to be with her daughter. In 2017 she became a resident of the Springfield Assisted Living and at age 100 moved to the Tyndall Good Samaritan home. She passed away at age 101 years and 7 months, a victim of Covid 19, at the Good Samaritan home.

Leola was preceded in death by her parents, husband, infant son, her sisters: Opal and Bernita; brothers: Arnold, Vernon and Lyman; an infant sister Sylvia; infant brother Lornie; and son-in-law Larry Lutz.

She is survived by her children: Judy Lutz, Robert Hornstra (wife Laurie), and Dale Hornstra (wife Diane) and her grandchildren: Craig Lutz, Kristin Miller, Perry Lutz, Megan Hornstra, Emily Hornstra, Brandon Termes and step grandchildren Stacy Dryak and Curtis Merkel; eight great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.