Obituary of Evelyn Pietens

Memorial Tribute Evelyn Barbara Pietens was born in rural O’Brien County on June 12, 1912, the oldest child of Arthur and Elvia (Wolf) Schneider. She attended the one-room rural school just one half-mile from the family farm, and as a teenager became a member of Baker Methodist Church, located adjacent to that school in the area, known locally as Philby Corner. On November 8, 1937, she was united in marriage to Clarence Pietens at Primghar. For the next 30 years, the couple farmed together—first near Archer until 1958, and later near Evelyn’s birthplace in Baker Township. Clarence retired from active farming in the late 1960’s, but they continued to live on the family farm until 1981 when they purchased their home in Archer. With the responsibilities of being a farm wife behind her, Evelyn began a new “career” in the 1960’s as a salesperson for Amway Corporation. She continued in this role until she moved to Beehive House in Sheldon in 2004, and at that time was the oldest active Amway salesperson in the country. For the past two and a half years Evelyn had been a resident of the Sanford Senior Care Center in Sheldon. She passed away there on October 11, 2007 at the age of 95. Evelyn was an avid horsewoman who, by her estimate, had raised and trained more than 25 colts and horses in her lifetime. She also enjoyed playing the piano, cooking, sewing and gardening. Even as her eyesight and hearing failed in later years, she enjoyed following the national news on television, and was a woman of strong political convictions, which she could be easily persuaded to share. She is survived by her son Brad (Linda) Pietens of Dekalb, IL and her daughter Norma (Terry) Rogers of Las Vegas, NV; four grandchildren: Clark (Anita) Sybesma of League City, TX, Anne (Matt) Vosmik of Aurora, IL, Jill (Brian) Klinger of Las Vegas, NV, and Todd (Julia) Pietens-Rain of Tamuning, Guam; seven great-grandchildren: Emma Sybesma, Kate and Trent Klinger, Lauren, Benjamin and Caroline Vosmik, and Zoe Pietens-Rain; two sisters: Gladys Buren of Sanborn, and Lois Roberts of Austin, CO; a brother Douglas Schneider of Colton, CA; and a cousin Verona Burns of McCook Lake, SD. Evelyn was preceded in death by her husband Clarence on September 16, 1999, her parents, and two brothers, Glenn and Kenneth Schneider. In Remembrance of Evelyn B. Pietens Born ~ June 12, 1912 Died ~ October 11, 2007 Age ~ 95 years 3 months 29 days Funeral Service 2:00 p.m. Monday, October 15, 2007 Archer United Methodist Church Archer, Iowa Officiating ~ Rev. Doris H. Lindley Organist ~ Donna Struve Congregational Singing Processional ~ “The Old Rugged Cross” “Beyond The Sunset” Recessional ~ “Rock of Ages” Pallbearers Bill Engeltjes Steve Grady Stan Lemkuil George Schneider Jim Vander Schaaf John Vander Sluis Interment Pleasant Hill Cemetery Primghar, Iowa