Curt Terpstra, of Pella passed away Saturday, December 31, 2016 due to injuries sustained in an airplane accident. Funeral services will begin at 10:30 am Saturday, January 7, 2017 at the New Sharon United Methodist Church. Burial will be held in the Friends Cemetery in New Sharon. Visitation will begin after 2:00 pm Friday, January 6, 2017 at the New Sharon United Methodist Church with the family present from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

Curt Ryan Terpstra was born January 20, 1982 in Oskaloosa, Iowa to Mike and Marcia Terpstra and was raised on the family farm by New Sharon, Iowa. In 2006, he built his home in Pella, where he resided with his dog, Jack. Curt graduated from North Mahaska High School in 2000, and began working as a Brick Mason. In 2002, Curt and his brother, Chip started their own business of Terpstra Masonry. In 2015, they began a new venture of C & C Aerial Applicators, for which Curt was the crop dusting pilot. Curt's love of flying started when he was very young. He started building and flying remote control planes at the age of 12, and continues to have those model planes in his home to this day. In 2004, he took flying lessons, and in 2009 he purchased his own plane. It was his pride and joy, and he loved flying it every chance he had. One of Curt's favorite things to do was to buzz the house of his niece and nephew so they would come running out to see Uncle Curt. He also enjoyed scaring his mother by buzzing over the combine during harvest.

Curt loved life and lived it to the fullest with his mischievous grin and a twinkle in his eye. At the age of 8, he started playing the bass guitar and joined his brother in the country music group "Young Country" performing all around Iowa and at the Iowa State Fair. He enjoyed riding 4 wheelers, motocross racing, wake boarding, snowmobiling, snowboarding, scuba diving, fishing, bow fishing and spending time with his family at the cabin hunting deer and turkey. Curt was one of those people who could fix or build anything. When he was young, Curt would carry a screw driver with him to tear apart his toys and put them back together. This continued on in all aspects of his life including his masonry and taxidermy work. In addition, Curt was an avid sportsman. He loved hunting deer, turkey and pheasants and anything else he was allowed to hunt. In 2014, Curt, along with his brother Chip and sister-in-law, Lauren took the trip of a lifetime and went to Africa on a 2 week hunting safari. His home is filled with the trophies of his hunts and the memories of their time there together.

On New Year's Eve, 2016, Curt lost his life in a plane crash heading down to Nashville along with Jasmine Linder, the love of his life and her brother, Jordan Linder and their friend Krista Green. Jasmine and Curt loved to take off on adventures together. Family meant everything to Curt. He was a loving son, brother, and uncle. Curt will be missed by his entire family including his parents, Mike & Marcia Terpstra, his brothers, Chad and Chip (Lauren) Terpstra, and his niece and nephew, Addison & Mason Terpstra. Also mourning his loss are his maternal Grandmother, Janet Van Hall, several aunts and uncles, and cousins. Those preceded him in death are his grandfathers, Robert Terpstra and Wilbur Van Hall and his grandmother, Mary Terpstra-Biggs, and aunt, Judy Hamilton