John Folkema

John William Folkema, passed away on Friday, January 17, 2025, at GracePointe Crossing in Cambridge. He was 89 years old.
John was born on April 22, 1935, on the family farm in Greenbush Township, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota to parents Richard and Minnie (Weidenaar) Folkema. Some years after John was born, Dick and Minnie bought a farm near Brunswick where John and his siblings grew up and helped on the family farm.
John married Dorothy Jean (Prestidge) Folkema. They bought a farm about a mile south of John's parents where they established their dairy farm and raised 7 children. John and Dorothy later divorced, and the family farm was sold.
John later married Kathy Wiecks and they made their home in Braham for several years. They enjoyed a couple winters in Florida as well as a few other trips during retirement. In the last few years, John and Kathy sold their home in Braham and moved to GracePointe townhomes where they lived until John's health declined and he moved into long-term care at GracePointe in December 2024.
Farming was always a part of John's life. He also enjoyed gardening (especially flower gardens). John loved to plant trees, gardens, flowers and generally anything he could nurture, and watch grow. During his farming days, he enjoyed utilizing all the available land that he could find in the area which included cutting and bailing all the ditch weed in the neighborhood. He made sure there was hay to bail on every 90-degree day!
John also enjoyed going to as many polka dances as he could possibly make time for, he loved to dance! He always wanted music everywhere he was (in the barn, on the tractor, in the yard, in the house, etc and as loud as the radio would play.
John loved to be around people and visiting as many people as he could, every place he went.
John was preceded in death by his parents, infant brother William, sister Donna Spangberg; brothers-in-law, Larry Kleven and Ronnie Johnson, son-in-law Rollin Nelson, and stepson Robert Wiecks.
He is survived by his wife Kathy; children, Joanne Nelson, Joyce (Rick) Keller, Jerome (Denise) Folkema, Jim (Penny) Folkema, Joey (Stefanie) Folkema, Jill Folkema and Jeff Folkema; stepson Michael Wiecks; grandchildren, Cullen, Dan (Shana), Jamie, Kelly (Jeff), Leanna, Angie, Brent (Kinsey), Mike (Jess), Ashley, Dalton (Jenna), Grace, Bella, Noah, Allie, Kelley and Shannon; many great grandchildren; sisters, Grace Kleven and Elise Johnson; brother-in-law Jim Spangberg; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
A Funeral Visitation will be held from 10:00 am - 12:00 noon on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at the Hamilton Funeral Homes- Rock Chapel in Braham.
A Prayer Service will be held at 11:45 am.
Interment will be in the Rice Lake Cemetery in Braham.
A Celebration of Life with food, music, and sharing will follow at the Braham Moose Lodge from 1:00-4:00 pm on Saturday.