Bertha Ligtenberg, 90, died on Friday, November 19, 2010 at the Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls, SD. Funeral service will be Wednesday, November 24, 2010 at 10:30 AM at the Christian Reformed Church in Corsica with burial following in Graceland Cemetery in Corsica. Visitation will be Tuesday, November 23, 2010 from 5 - 8 PM at Koehn Bros. Funeral Chapel in Corsica with a prayer service at 7:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorial are preferred to Dakota Christian School or the Corsica Christian Reformed Church building fund.

Bertha (Kenuding) Ligtenberg was born on July 9, 1920 in Douglas County, SD to Burt (Bouke) and Agnes (Akke) Dykstra) Keuning. After the death of her parents in 1922, she made her home with her sister, Grace and her family. She attended school through the eighth grade at the Wagner School in Grandview Township. Following her education, she worked at various jobs in South Dakota, California, Michigan and Oklahoma. On March 5, 1946, she was united in marriage to Guy Ligtenberg at the Grace Reformed Church parsonage by Rev. Heitbrink. Their wedding came after Guy returned from serving four years in the U.S. Army and she worked in a defense plant in Oklahoma that built airplanes during World War II. They farmed and raised th\eir six children on several farms before buying a farm east of Corsica in 1965. They sold the farm and moved into Corsica in 1980. As her children grew older, Bertha started working outside of the home, first at the Douglas County Memorial Hospital and later at the Good Samaritan Center in Corsica. She retired in 1987. Bertha kept her hands busy by quilting, sewing and by growing a bountiful vegetable and flower garden. She made homemade jam as a Christmas gift to each of her 19 grandchildren and kept the tradition until just a few years ago. Bertha's pride and joy was her family and she enjoyed immensely spending time with each family member. Her greatest wish for them was that they would know Jesus as their Savior and live their lives for his glory. She died on November 19, 2010 at the Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls at the age of 90.

She is survived by six children: Glenn Ligtenberg and wife, Sharon of Mitchell, SD; Myra Halsey of Riverside, CA; Helen Vander Wal and husband, Verlin of Corsica, SD; Edgar Ligtenberg and wife, Rosalie of Sioux Falls, SD; Fred Ligtenberg and wife, Patty of Corsica, SD; and Joan Niewenhuis and husband, Wilmer of Platte, SD; 19 grandchildren; and 26 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Guy in 1989, and son-in-law, Darrel Halsey in 2005. She was the last surviving member of her family and was preceded in death by four sisters: Grace Van Hees, Minnie Muilenburg, Lizzie Menning, and Gertrude Duffield; three brothers: Charles, Simon, and Arie (Ike) Keuning; and four infant brothers: Siebe, Sjouke, and two boys named Arie.