Pearl Custer

Pearl Irene (Hulsebus) Custer was born in a farm house north east of Ortonville, Minnesota on January 27, 1914, to John Albert and Pauline Wilimina (Mielke) Hulsebus. She lived her life to the age of 100 years, two months and six days. Pearl spent her first few years in Minnesota before her family moved to a farm near Defiance, Iowa. She attended country school in Shelby County through fourth grade. The family then moved to Harlan where she continued her education in the Harlan schools through ninth grade. After her father died, Pearl moved in with her sister Violet in Defiance, Iowa and then graduated from Defiance High School with the class of 1932. On November 30, 1934, Pearl married Gerald Custer. The couple lived in several towns in Iowa including Hillsboro, Avoca and Woodbine. Gerald died on May 23, 2011.

Pearl was an avid reader with Edgar Allen Poe being one of her favorite writers. She was involved in many community projects. Pearl was the president of the music parents committee several times and served as treasurer for the Senior Citizens Center for 12 years. In 1942, Pearl joined the Woodbine United Methodist Church. She was a Sunday school teacher and Bible school teacher. She was a member of the Women's Society serving as president several times and was chairman of the Usher Committee for twenty years as well as working with other activities

Pearl was a loving wife, an excellent cook, devoted mother, and a friend to those in need.

Pearl was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Gerald Custer; infant daughter; son Kenneth Custer; two great grandchildren, Jessica Custer and Cory Custer; and six siblings, Mildred Hansen, Cynthia Fuester, Violet, John, Ivan, and Ray Hulsebus. She is survived by her four children, Jackie Vern Custer of Logan, Iowa, Billy Ray Custer and his wife Ruby of Soldier, Iowa, Kay Irene and her husband Virgil Speake of Fountain Hills, Arizona, and Paula Ann and her husband Tom Lewis of Logan, Iowa; daughter-in-law Josette Custer of Lohrville, Iowa; nine grandchildren and ten great grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends.