Louise Hicks Vierstra, beloved mother, grandmother (“Tutu”), great grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully on Monday August 26^th, 2024, in Arlington MA at age 88.

She was born July 7, 1936, in Yonkers, NY to Edna (Cutter) Hicks and Carlton Hicks and grew up in Arlington, MA. Her happiest childhood memories include summers at the beach in Rockport, MA. She graduated from Mount Auburn School of Nursing, married Andrew Vierstra in 1957, and had five children. They lived in Concord, MA, Kwajalein, Marshall Islands, Kamuela HI, Henderson NV, and Rockport MA. Andrew died January 10, 2013. Louise had a companion, Al Alfonso in her later years. Louise worked as a nurse for many years, most notably as nursing supervisor on Kwajalein, hotel/resort nurse in Hawaii, and occupational health nurse in Massachusetts and Nevada.

Louise is survived by her children, Scott (Tammie) Vierstra, Brian (Eleanor) Vierstra, Kimberly Vierstra, Kai (Meridith Pingree) Vierstra, and daughter-in-law Cathleen Vierstra. Her legacy also lives on with ten grandchildren, Cyril Vierstra, Courtney Vierstra Brady, Mario Lawrence, Stephanie Vierstra, James Vierstra, Amelia Vierstra Osei, Victoria Vierstra Greene, Clara Vierstra, Edward Vierstra, and Rayburn Vierstra as well as five, soon-to-be-six great-grandchildren, Tucker, Emerson, Dain, Cedar, Banks, and baby-girl Osei. She was preceded in death much too soon by her son, Bruce Vierstra, and by her sister, Dorothy, her husband, Andrew, and her friend and companion, Al.

Louise had a great appreciation for the simple joys in life and had a strong, personal faith. She deeply loved her family and friends, and enjoyed music, knitting, painting, dancing the hula, and keeping a perfect home. She had a passion for collecting pins from her extensive travels, each one a small token of the adventures she cherished.

Her kindness, warmth, and unwavering support (and her olykoek) will be sorely missed by all who knew her. A memorial service to celebrate Louise’s life will be held in the summer of 2025 in Rockport, Massachusetts