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.
Sunday, April 16, 2023
2:00 - 4:00 pm (Central time)
Kessler Funeral Homes, Inc. - Exira
Monday, April 17, 2023
Starts at 10:30 am (Central time)
Exira Christian Church
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