Clarissa Ann Terpstra

     Clarissa Ann Terpstra, the daughter of Herbert Leroy Wahlert Sr. and Claudine (Basham)

Wahlert, was born August 3, 1930, in Exira, Iowa and died April 10, 2023, at the Exira Care

Center in Exira, Iowa at the age of 92 years, 8 months, 7days.

     Clarissa was baptized at the Exira Christian Church in Exira, Iowa. She attended the Exira

Community Schools graduating with the High School Class of 1948. Clarissa then studied at

Iowa State University where she received her “Mrs.” degree.

     On May 7, 1950, she was united in marriage to William Dow Terpstra at the Exira

Christian Church. They were blessed with five children Thomas, Daniel, Patricia, Michael,

And Susan. They lived in several locations in Iowa until they moved to York, Nebraska in

1965. Then in 1981 they moved to Belgrade, Montana. During theses years, Clarissa took

care of Bill, raised the children, and was active in her church and the community. In 1997

they retired and returned to live in Exira. Bill enjoyed restoring tractors and Clarissa and Bill

enjoyed going to the tractor shows and making many new friends. Bill died May 5, 2005.

Clarissa lived in her own home until moving to the assisted living at the Exira Care Center in

August of 2017.

     Clarissa was an active member of the Exira Christian Church. She was active in the

Christian Women’s Fellowship and had taught Sunday school. Clarissa had been a Girl Scout

and a Boy Scout leader. She was very active in the Exira Lions Club and had received many

awards for her service. Clarissa loved to laugh and always enjoyed sharing a story or joke

with her many friends and family.

     Preceding her in death was her husband William D. Terpstra; her daughter Patricia

Terpstra and her husband Donald Jordan; her daughter-in-law Ilene Patty, her parents Herbert

and Claudine Wahlert; her brothers-in-law Darrel Terpstra and Sam Stehle; and her sisters-in-

law Dolores Wilson and Nancy Gill.

     Survivors include her children Thomas Terpstra of Portland, Oregon, Daniel and Patsy

Terpstra of Lincoln, Nebraska, Michael Terpstra and fiancée Phuong Le of Lincoln, Nebraska

and Susan Henry also of Lincoln, Nebraska; her brother Herbert Leroy Wahlert, Jr. of Exira,

Iowa; her sister Ida Kay Stehle of Longmont, Colorado; her brother-in-law Avery Wilson of

Newton, Iowa; her sister-in-law Carolyn Terpstra of Altoona, Iowa; nieces, nephews, other

relatives and friends.

     The family will greet friends on Sunday afternoon from 2:00 P.M. until 4:00 P.M. at the

Kessler Funeral Home in Exira, Iowa. Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Glen

Meyers on Monday morning April 17, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. at the Exira Christian Church in

Exira. Interment will be in the Exira Cemetery in Exira, Iowa. The casket bearers will be

David Terpstra, Karl Stehle, Allen Zobel, Boyd Schlater, John Hays, and Chris Tuey.