Obituary of Clarice Arlene Sigurdson

Clarice Arlene Sigurdson, 100, of Newton, passed away on Wednesday morning, January 3, 2024, at Newton Health Care Center in Newton, Iowa.  A Celebration of Life service will be held 11:00 a.m., Saturday, January 27, 2024, at Newton First Presbyterian Church.  The family will greet friends at 10:00 a.m., just prior to the services.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be left to Newton First Presbyterian Church, Jasper County Historical Museum, Hospice or a charity of your choosing.  The Pence~Reese Funeral Home in Newton, is handling the arrangements.  Burial will be in the Newton Union Cemetery. 

   Clarice, the daughter of Edwin and Nellie (Blomquist) Nordholm, was born September 26, 1923, near Gowrie, Iowa.  She was a graduate of the Gowrie Senior High and attended AIB in Des Moines.  She worked as a bookkeeper at the Gowrie Co-op Creamery and Northwestern Bell Telephone Company in Des Moines. 

  On January 27, 1945, she was united in marriage to Morris “Sig” Sigurdson in Des Moines.  After the war, Sig attended Iowa State University and the couple enjoyed their college years living in Pammel Court.  After graduation, the family lived in Bagley, Perry and Fort Dodge, Iowa, prior to moving to Newton in 1956.  She had devoted her life to her family as a Homemaker. Clarice enjoyed sharing her home life with her family and loved time with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren.  She was a member of T.T.T. and active in the Newton First Presbyterian Church, of which she was grateful for.  She enjoyed bridge clubs, golfing, bowling, watching TV, sports and was an avid Iowa State Cyclones fan.  She was proud of her Swedish heritage and enjoyed family holidays with Swedish food and traditions.  

   She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Sig on Nov. 28, 2004; her son Mark on May 30, 2019; and her brother Vincent Nordholm in 1989.

   Those left to honor Clarice’s memory include her daughter Julie (Gene) Suhr of Rensselaer, Indiana; her three grandchildren: Melinda (Sam) Weirich of Middlebury, IN, Lisa Fenner of Indianapolis, IN and Megan (Doug) DeJong of Grinnell, IA; her six great-grandchildren: Joseph, Elizabeth and Kate Weirich; Darynne (Chris) Wenger, Jeff (Bailey) DeJong and Abby (Zach) Haselett; along with five great-great grandchildren.  She is also survived by her sister Leora Peterson of Des Moines; a nephew and three nieces; and her many extended family and friends.