George Lee Folkerts

September 18, 1937 - March 19, 2016

George Lee Folkerts, 78, of Allison, Iowa, passed away Saturday, March 19, 2016, at Allen Memorial Hospital in Waterloo, Iowa. He was born on September 18, 1937, in rural Bristow, Iowa, to Harold Atho and Helen Rose (Bell) Folkerts. Lee attended rural country schools and graduated from Allison High School in 1956. He attended Iowa State University in Farm Operations for one year and then moved back home to farm with his father. On September 15, 1957, Lee married Jessie DeWitt at St. James Lutheran Church in Allison. To this union four children were born Barbara, Robert, Joyce and Judy. Lee started farming with his father in 1957, along with the family seed business. Lee enjoyed farming, attending his grandchildren's activities, speeder rides, his antique tractors and tractor rides, traveling and working in his shop. He loved his beef cows and promoting conservation; working for C8MP Ltd. helping farmers and promoting conservation and good farm practices. He was a member of the Allison Congregational Church, Soybean Association, Beef Producers, Butler County S.W.C.D., Speeder Club, Ferguson Club and various antique tractor clubs. Lee is survived by his wife Jessie Folkerts, brother Max (Marianne) Folkerts, children Barbara Sullivan, Robert (Shelley) Folkerts, Joyce (William) Dolan, Judy (Larry) Kjellsen, and Finnish exchange daughter Merja Tammi, grandchildren Marjorie (Thomas) Heckler, Steven Folkerts, Holly Folkerts, Sharame Lutjens, Kelly (Kevin) Stewart, Emily Dolan, Todd Dolan, Sam Dolan, Kristin Klemesrud, Kacey Klemesrud, Stacie Kjellsen, Cody Kjellsen and Jack Kjellsen, great-grandchildren Gavin Heckler, Oliver Heckler, Levi Heckler, Shaderek Lasorella, Sawyer Folkerts and Connor Stewart, along with many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Harold and Helen and son-in-law Timothy Sullivan.