EMMA JASPER

December 22, 1930 – April 26, 2025

Emma Marie Jasper, 94, passed away Saturday, April 26, 2025, at the Edgebrook Care Center, Edgerton. Funeral services were held Thursday, May 1, 2025, at Woodstock Community Church, Woodstock, at 11:00 a.m. Interment was in Woodstock Community Cemetery.

Emma Marie Jasper was born on December 22, 1930, to Case and Sophie (Verhoef) Veldhuizen, Sr. in Sheldon, Iowa. At a young age, she moved with her family to a farm southwest of Woodstock, Minnesota, where she was raised. She attended grade school in District 32 and later Pipestone High School in Pipestone, Minnesota.

On July 15, 1948, she was married to Bernard Jasper at her parents’ home in Woodstock. After their marriage, they farmed in the Woodstock area. While being a farmwife and raising their family, Emma gave piano lessons to several children. In 1970, Emma started selling Avon, where she sold door-to-door and worked as a team leader, group sales leader, and stand-in manager for over 20 years. In 1981, due to Bernard’s health issues, they moved into Woodstock. Emma took on the role of caregiver and made sure Bernard had every opportunity to attend family events, sports, and community and church activities. During that time (1988) they began spending their winters in McAllen, Texas. Bernard preceded her in death on December 17, 1996. After his death, she continued living in Woodstock and wintering in Texas. In August, 2022, she became a resident of Edgebrook Care Center in Edgerton.

Music was such a big part of her life. She was a charter member of American Reformed Church which is now the Woodstock Community Church where, starting as a teenager, she served as organist, pianist, and youth and adult choir director throughout her lifetime. She continued to direct choir and play for services at McAllen Mobile Park, where she wintered for 33 years. She played her final service Easter Sunday at Edgebrook. Summer months in Woodstock were spent as a cook at New Life Treatment Center and later working at Fort Pipestone for several summers. During her winters in Texas, she volunteered for many years as an organizer and bell ringer for the Salvation Army. She loved to play shuffleboard and won several championships through the years. Emma loved board and card games, but especially Scrabble. She played online with friends at a distance and looked forward to challenging her daughters whenever they visited and took great pride in beating them. Reading books, fixing jigsaw puzzles, and games on her iPad occupied her days at Edgebrook.

She is lovingly remembered by her four children, Susan Jensen (Brian Livingston) of Slayton, Minn., Betty (Bruce) Johnson of Minneapolis, Minn., Randy (Cindy) Jasper of Pipestone, Minn., and Beverly (JJ) Avila of McAllen, Texas; son-in-law, Will Langstraat; ten grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; and seven siblings, Annetta Legler, Tony (Kathy) Veldhuizen, Bob (Marion) Veldhuizen, Sophie (Jerold) Schoolmeester, Millie VanWyke, Julie (Carl) Kreun and Marvin (Rosalyn) Veldhuizen.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bernard Jasper; daughters, Marcella Langstraat and Marsha and Dan Wright; grandson, Eric Reichenberger; siblings, John, Albert, Arnold, Bernard, Gert, Casey and Roger.