Nellie Burgers

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Nellie Burgers, 94, of Colton, SD lost her battle with cancer Wednesday, October 12, 2016.

Funeral services will begin at 10:00 AM Monday, October 17, 2016 at Faith Community Church in Colton. Burial will be in Colton Cemetery.

Visitation with the family present will be from 2:00 to 5:00 PM Sunday, October 16, 2016 at Minnehaha Funeral Home in Colton.

Nellie was born November 19, 1921 in Stickney, SD to Cornelius and Kate (Paauw) Van Zanten. She spent her early childhood in Grand Rapids, MI. In 1930 the family moved to Colton, SD where Nellie grew up and graduated from Colton High School.

During World War II she worked in Blodgett Hospital in Grand Rapids, MI. She then joined the Cadet Nurses Corp and was in a nursing program at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls until the war ended.

Nellie married John Burgers on January 1, 1946. They farmed in the area for eight years, and then bought a hardware store in Colton which they owned and operated for 39 years, retiring in 1993. After retirement they spent a great deal of time visiting people in assisted living and nursing homes. She spent ten years lovingly and patiently caring for John after he developed Alzheimer’s. She had a life-long passion for knowledge. Even after losing her eyesight, she spent many hours listening to books-on-tape.

She enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren, loved camping with John and family. She liked meeting new people, finding connections with them. She spent many hours playing Scrabble with her sister, Alice or whoever dared oppose her. She wrote her autobiography and was meticulous in record keeping and knowing the cost of everything, but was very generous in her giving.

Nellie was a life-long member of the Christian Reformed Church where she taught Sunday School and attended Bible Study groups since she was fifteen.

Grateful for having shared her life are her five children and their spouses, Judi (John) De Jong, Mitchell (Jan) Burgers, Bette Bergert, Jan (Marvin) Sturing and Alan (Sandra) Burgers; thirteen grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren; six step-grandchildren and many special foster and international grandchildren; sister, Alice Burgers; brother, Mel (Jan) Van Zanten as well as several brothers and sisters-in-law.

Nellie was preceded in death by her husband, John in 2002; parents; sister, Jeanette and brothers, Dewey, J.W. (Van) and baby brother, Pierson Van Zanten and son-in-law, Butch Bergert.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be donated to Alzheimer’s Association of South Dakota.