FLORENCE BUYS, age 91, of Edgerton, formerly of Leota, was born on April 10, 1924 to Frank and Gerritje (Buijert) Koelewyn on the family farm in Leota Township, Nobles County.  She attended Country School # 63 graduating from the eighth grade.  She professed her faith at the Ebenezer Christian Reformed Church.  After graduating from 8th grade, she helped ladies with the housework.  On October 18, 1943 she was united in marriage to Walter Buys in the Chandler Christian Reformed parsonage.
They farmed in Chanarambie Township until 1963 when they purchased a farm south of Chandler in Moulton Township.  In 1978 they moved a short mile to the Natte place where they lived for 16 years.  Florence loved going to household auctions.  She loved the outdoors and worked hard on the farm  which included milking cows, picking rocks and fixing fence.
In 1994, they moved into Leota.  Walter passed away in July 1995.  After Walter passed away, Florence enjoyed visiting relatives and friends.  She enjoyed doing volunteer work at the Worthington Regional Hospital, Pioneer Village and Nobles County Historical Musuem.  Florence took great pleasure in talking with the people and learning about them.  She liked playing Rook and games.
Florence continued to live in Leota until moving to the Edgebrook Assisted Living in May, 2011.  In August of 2013 she moved into the Edgebrook Nursing Home.  On August 4, she entered the hospital and then moved to the Hospice Cottage in Luverne.  She passed away on August 13 at the age of 91 years, 4 months and 3 days.
She was a member of the Ebenezer Christian Reformed Church.
Florence is lovingly remembered by her son Merlyn (Edna) of Luverne, MN and daughters:  Larissa (Kevin Caspersen, Edgerton, MN and their children:  Zachary, Hannah and Maggie,  Ava (Arlan) VanderWoude, Tracy, CA and their children:  Ariel, Silas, Isaiah, Wesley and Devin,  Renita (Jason) Jasper, Sioux Falls, SD and their children: Joscelin, Hailey, Damon
and Bentley, Step-daughters: Renae (Travis) Engelkes, Stacy (Lowell) Warner,  Amy (Dave) Sandbulte, Lisa (Randy) Hoogland & 9 step
great-grandchildren, and by her daughter, Joan Willemsen (Don), Pella, IA and daughters:  Vivian Willemsen, Pella, IA,  Pam (James) Landrum, West Lafayette, IN and their children,  Alex and Andrew,  Karen (Jason) Doonan, Newton, IA and Jody Gritters (Dustin), Prairie City, IA,
She is also survived by two sisters, Gertrude (Harvey) Sas and Dena (Clares) Christians, sister-in-law, Leona Koelewyn and brother-in-law, Gilbert Corbin.
She was preceded in death by her husband Walter, and her parents, her brother Frank, Art and his wife Henrietta, a sister Bertha Corbin, a sister and her husband, Grace and John Van Hulzen, and daughter-in-law Mary Buys in December of 2005.
Visitation will be from 9:30 to 11 am Saturday at the Ebenezer Christian Reformed Church in Leota. Funeral will be 11 am Saturday at the Ebenezer Christian Reformed Church in Leota. Burial will be in the Leota Community Cemetery.
The Leota Burial Association & Dingmann Funeral Home are in charge of arrangements.

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