Tillie Bork

Tillie Bork was born on May 10, 1919 to William and Hendrieka [Wallenburg] Termaat on the family farm near Rock Rapids, Iowa. She was raised and attended country school in Cleaveland Township near Rock Rapids. Upon completing her schooling, she remained on the farm to help her family. On January 25, 1940 Tillie was united in marriage to Herman Bork at her parents’ home. Following their marriage the couple resided on a farm south of Holland, Minnesota, for three years. They returned to a farm west of Doon for seven years and then moved north to a farm on the state line, near Steen, Minnesota. Five years later, they moved to a farm on the east edge of Luverne, Minnesota, where they continued to farm until they retired in 1981 and moved into town. Tillie was a homemaker and later worked for the cleaning department at the Luverne Community Hospital for 12 years before her retirement. Herman preceded her in death on December 5, 2007. Tillie continued living in her apartment until moving to the Oaks in May 2010. In July 2015, she became a resident at the Good Samaritan Society – Mary Jane Brown Home in Luverne, where on Friday, January 5, 2018, Tillie passed away peacefully at the age of 98 years, seven months and 26 days.

She was a member of the Christian Reformed Church in Luverne. She enjoyed cooking, crafting, crocheting, cleaning and working in her flower garden. She bowled for many years and participated in league. She was even still bowling at almost 90 years old. For much of Tillie’s life, the highlight of her week was the tradition of having family together for lunch after church service.

Tillie is lovingly remembered by her four children, Orville and his wife Barbara of Luverne, Wallace and his wife Linda Sue of Rapid City, South Dakota, Harley and his wife Linda Kay of Jasper, Minnesota, and Don and his wife Marcia of Beaver Creek, Minnesota; sister-in-law, Florence Termaat of Rock Valley, Iowa; a sister, and Evelyn Huisman of Holland, Michigan; 12 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and other family. She is preceded in death by her husband, Herman; two grandchildren, Susan Bork and Brian Bork; parents; two brothers, Jack Termaat and William Termaat, Jr.; five sisters, Winnie Visser and Gert Van Engen, Christine Van Tol, Coba Mulder, Henrietta Oostra.