- Date Of Birth: July 14, 1931
- Date Of Death: September 20, 2022
- State: Idaho
Surrounded by family, Anna Marie Gortsema was peacefully called to heaven during the beautiful sunrise on Tuesday morning, September 20, 2022. She was born to Henry and Cornelia Jansen, Dutch immigrants, on July 14, 1931, in Sioux Center, Iowa. She was the second oldest of six children.
When they moved to town, Anna Marie began her 34-year career at Grangeville schools as the baker for the school lunch program. Her cinnamon rolls became the favorite and are still talked about to this day. She retired at age 72 and continued to bake for her family and friends, and she loved to bake our favorite treat for our birthdays each year.
Family was incredibly important to Anna Marie.
Those who are left missing her are her children and their families: David (Melani) with their sons, Tyler Gortsema (and his son Zachariah), Austin Gortsema (Kaitlyn and their son Henry), all of Grangeville; Lori Ruddell (Randy Favor) of Lewiston; Kevin Gortsema (Chuck Richards) of Rancho Mirage, CA; and Audrey Payton (Pat) with daughters and step-sons, Alicia Darr (Adam and their children, Isla, Grady & Scout) of Coupeville, WA; Erika Robins (Hunter) of Lewiston; Zach Payton and Parker Payton of Lewiston. She is also survived by her brother Ed Jansen of Clara City, MN; her sister-in-law Rosella DeHaas of Grangeville, and numerous nieces, nephews and their families.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond who passed in 1988; her mother and father, her sister and four brothers, and numerous brothers- and sisters-in-law.
