Tena Burmania

Tena Burmania, age 82 of Friesland, was called to her Heavenly Home on Thursday, April 17, 2008, at her residence, surrounded by her family.

Tena was born Trietje Katsma on July 26, 1925 in the Township of Randolph, a daughter to Dewey and Jennie (Kok) Katsma. She attended the Christian School in East Friesland. Tena married Henry Burmania on May 19, 1944 in the First Randolph Christian Reformed Church. During their fifty-one years of married life, Tena and Henry raised their family and worked the family farm north of Friesland until they retired to the Village of Friesland to a home built primarily by their sons. She was a lifelong member of the First Christian Reformed Church in East Friesland, where she was active in the Martha Circle and Ladies Aid. After retiring, Tena and Henry made several trips as volunteers for disaster relief work in several states. Tena’s love for God, study of the Bible, and love for her family were very important to her. She has many grandchildren who can attest to her love and patience.

Tena is survived by her nine children, Joanne Carol of Aberdeen Maryland; Duane & Rita Burmania, Cambria; Victor & Cere Burmania, Friesland; Donna & Del Cross, Cambria; Peter Burmania, Markesan, and daughter-in-law, Sue Burmania, Friesland; Kathy & George Smedema; Samuel & Rita Burmania, both of Cambria; Connie & Del Beese, Beaver Dam; James & Brenda Burmania, Cambria; twenty-three grandchildren, including her special grandson Benjamin Burmania who lived with her; twenty-six great-grandchildren; two sisters, Grace Homan, Randolph; and Barbara & Dirk Visser, Cambridge, Nova Scotia; two brothers, Hans & Stella Katsma, Friesland; Cornelius & Helen Katsma, Randolph; her sister-in-law, Thelma Burmania, Friesland; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband Henry on July 8, 1995; twin grandsons, Schuyler and Keenan Burmania; her parents; three brothers, John, Sam and Clarence; a sister-in-law, Alice Katsma; and two brothers-in-law, Peter Burmania and Arnold Homan.

Services will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, April 21, 2008 at the First Christian Reformed Church, N8876 East Friesland Road, Randolph, with the Rev. Kenneth Prol officiating. Burial will follow in the Friesland Cemetery.

The family will receive visitors on Monday at the church from 9:30 a.m. until the hour of services.

A Memorial fund has been established for the First Randolph Christian Reformed Church and the Bible League.

“The family would like to thank Aunt Grace, Aunt Thelma, and Bill & Evelyn Vander Galien for their many visits and support they provided our Mom during her illness. Thank you to Mom’s caregiver, Tsetsegchimeg “Sunny” Dash for her loving care and the wonderful people from Hillside Hospice; Patty DeVries, Tina Bahr, Debbie Brown, and Tara Selk. Your compassion and concern was evident at every visit and appreciated by us all.”