Altha Arleta Vander Wey, 90, of Valentine, NE passed away Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at the Good Samaritan Society – Corsica, SD. Funeral Services are 1:30 P.M. CT Saturday, February 6, 2021 at the Lakeview Christian Reformed Church, Lakeview, SD. A public Viewing will be held from 3:00 – 6:00 P.M. CT Friday, February 5, 2021 at Holmes Funeral Home in Valentine, NE. Mount Funeral Home of Platte, SD is assisting with arrangements. Expressions of sympathy may be extended to the family through mountfuneralhome.com. Altha Arleta (May) Vander Wey was born on January 15, 1931 to William and Zaida (Derry) May in Elgin, NE. She spent her early years living south of Nenzel, NE, on the place her mother homesteaded in 1909. As a child, she would ride a horse to school, and she told many stories of killing rattlesnakes. It was said that you could hear her scream a mile away as she swung the saddle cinch while killing them. She also spent many summers helping her dad with the haying process using horses. She attended high school in Valentine, NE. On September 11, 1948 she married Gerald aka. Jerry Vander Wey, and they spent their married life living on the ranch in the Lakeview Community of South Dakota. In 2012, she moved to Cherry Hills Estates in Valentine, NE and lived there for five years after Jerry passed away in the spring. In 2017, she moved to Corsica, SD, and entered the Good Samaritan Center. Altha’s married years were centered on raising their four children, enjoying her many grandchildren, cattle ranching, and gardening. She enjoyed quilting blankets for her family and crocheting. She made many baby blankets, afghans and prayer shawls; of which became gifts for many in the community. She was very active in her church family at Lakeview CRC where she taught Sunday school for many years and helped with the ladies groups of the church. After entering the Corsica Care Center she enjoyed doing puzzles, watching birds, going to church in the care center, playing bingo, and kick ball where she filled the room with laughter and giggles. Altha was a very loving and caring person who will be remembered for her laugh and her smile. Visitors were always welcomed into her home. Saturday mornings were always pancake, bacon, sausage and egg-filled mornings; some of the grand kids can still smell the bacon frying. It’s funny how many of her children and grandchildren love runny eggs like she did. She always made amazing roast beef, the best gravy over mashed potatoes, and fried fish. Food, fellowship, and Altha was always at the center of it all. As one grandson described her best, “She was an example of the Fruits of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self –Control”. Grateful for having shared in Altha’s life, her four children: Bonnie Green (Ron deceased) of Gilbert, AZ, Kervan (Jane) Vander Wey of Perry, MI, Carla (Randy) Sybesma of Platte, SD and Rick (Kitty) Vander Wey of Crookston, NE; one brother-in-law, Clarence (Ann) Vander Wey of San Antonio, TX; 13 Grandchildren; and 23 great grandchildren. Altha was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry (Mar. 20, 2012); her parents; her brother Art May; and a son-in-law Ron Green.