Nelma Byker

Nelma (Brands) Byker, 92, of rural Hawarden, Iowa, peacefully passed away on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at Prairie Ridge Care Center in Orange City, Iowa.

Funeral Service will be 11:00 a.m. Monday, December 9, 2024, at the Christian Reformed Church in Ireton, Iowa with Rev. Nate Kuperus officiating. Burial will follow at Pleasant Hill Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. prior to the service at the church. The Porter Funeral Home is assisting the family. Condolences may be sent to www.porterfuneralhomes.com. Nelma’s family prefers memorials be given to Unity Christian High School in Orange City. The funeral service will be livestreamed on the Ireton Christian Reformed Church Facebook page.

Nelma Byker was born on September 10, 1932, in the family farmhouse near Rock Valley, Iowa, the third daughter of Henry and Jennie (Brouwer) Brands. She attended Rock Valley Christian School, in Rock Valley, Iowa, and Western Christian High School in Hull, Iowa. After completing her education, she lived and worked on the family farm and was also employed as a caregiver/household assistant for many families in the Inwood area until she married Marion Byker on January 25, 1956, at the Inwood Christian Reformed Church, Inwood, Iowa. Marion and Nelma moved to their family farm near Hawarden, Iowa where they were blessed with five children, farmed land, raised livestock, and managed a dairy business. Nelma lived and worked on that same farm until January 2022, when she moved to Landsmeer Ridge Retirement Community, and recently to Prairie Ridge Care Center in Orange City, Iowa. Nelma was 92 years, 1 month, and 24 days on the day of her passing.

Nelma was a faithful member of the Ireton Christian Reformed Church in Ireton, Iowa. She shared her love through acts of service: preparing countless meals, baking thousands of cookies and countless delicious apple pies, sewing dresses, mending worn work clothes, quilting, apple picking, and cheering for her grandchildren at high school sports and fine arts events. She was an office holder and member of the Ireton Christian School Martha Circle for many years, the Unity Unit, enjoyed participating in Ladies’ Circles, Bible studies, and was a partner in prayer for her family, friends, and fellow church members. 

Nelma is survived by her five children, Eugene and his wife, Cheryl of Ireton, Iowa, Shar and her husband, Elmer Jelgerhuis of Bloomington, Minnesota, Shirley and her husband, Rudy Folkerts of Orange City, Iowa, Daryl Byker of Hawarden, Iowa and Mike and his wife, Maria of Orange City, Iowa; eight grandchildren, Leah Zarate-Byker, Rachel Dekker, Laura Jelgerhuis, Wade Folkerts, Meika Folkerts, Klay Byker, Sam Byker and Emma Byker; four great-grandchildren, Thea & Henry Dekker, and Kaden & Ada Byker; two sisters, Gertrude Kruid of Orange City, Iowa, and Carol Joyce (William) Bouwman of Rock Valley, Iowa; and a brother, Gerald (Lavina) Brands of Inwood, Iowa. 

Nelma is preceded in death by her husband, Marion Byker on February 14, 1990; her parents, Henry and Jennie (Brouwer) Brands; infant brothers, Gerrit and Jasper Brands; sisters, Rena In’t Veld, Jennie Dragstra, Marian Mae Wallenburg, Dorothy Voortman, and Arlene Bakker; and granddaughter, Sarah Jelgerhuis.