July 20, 1943 – December 19, 2023

Vivian Faith Talsma, 80, passed away on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, at Artesia Christian Homes, Artesia, Calif. A memorial service will be held at First Christian Reformed Church, Bellflower, Calif., on January 6, 2024.

Vivian Faith Talsma was born in Luverne, Minn., on July 20, 1943, to Henry and Ruth (Vander Haar) Berghorst. She was the fourth of ten children raised on a farm near Steen, Minn. In 1950, the family moved to a farm near Dawson, Minn. Faith attended a country school for eight years and then attended Dawson High School. In her junior year, the family moved to southern California where her two older brothers were living. Faith graduated from Artesia High School in 1961.

In March 1960, Faith started dating Ron Talsma and they were married on August 17, 1961. She was a homemaker and seamstress and also ran a daycare from her home.  Ron and Faith started their own family in July of 1963. They had three biological children, Donavan, Robin, and Randy.

Faith became a licensed foster parent in 1980 and the family welcomed Michael into their home in September of that year. Their third foster child came in January 1981, Amanda Joy, whom they adopted in April 1989. Faith fostered fifty-eight children, primarily infants, until 2011 when her Parkinson’s disease caused her to retire.

Faith had a love for Jesus and children. She had the gift of hospitality that was evident through her cooking, baking, and entertaining family and friends. Faith actively participated in Coffee Break ministries at First Christian Reformed Church of Bellflower and was generous by providing meals to many people. 

Faith was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

Faith is survived by her husband, Ron Talsma; son Donavan and Kelly Talsma, and grandchildren Brandon and Alex, and Bailey; daughter Robin and Chris Veenstra, and grandchildren Ryan and Kari (Jade and Judah), Reid and Karina (Joslynn), Adrienne, and Arielle and Tyler Atkinson; son Randy and Melanie Talsma, and grandchildren Sydney and Bryan Anders, and Derek; and daughter, Amanda and Johnny Day and grandchildren Blake and Gavin.