John BEENKEN

BEENKEN, CORDES, TJADEN, GEIMER, SEILER, CORDRAY, KLEINWACHTER, OLESON

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 3/23/2011 at 20:04:49

Obituary - John Beenken

The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
September, 1994

Funeral services for John BEENKEN, 81, were held Saturday, September 10. Rev. Dennis REDEKER officiated at the 1:30 p.m. service at Ramsey Reformed Church.

John died on Wednesday, September 7, 1994, at North Iowa Mercy Health Center, Mason City.

Casketbearers were Steven ROSENOW, Wayne BEENKEN, Dennis HEINEN, Merlin BEENKEN, Daryl BEENKEN, Mark OLSON and Phil LUPPEN.

Interment was in the church cemetery, with the Garry-Roberts-Murphy-Schaaf Funeral Home of Titonka in charges of arrangements.

John BEENKEN was born July 18, 1913, at rural Titonka, to Peter and Mary CORDES BEENKEN. He attended country schools near Titonka, then worked on the family farm.

He was united in marriage to Sena TJADEN on April 15, 1936 at the home of Sena's parents, rural Titonka. John and Sena farmed northwest of Titonka and he also worked for Green Giant in Blue Earth, MN. He retired from farming in 1964 and then worked for the Titonka Telephone Company, the Co-op Gas Station and at Custom Farm Services.

John had attended auctioneer school in Mason City and called for churches and county fairs. He also drove school bus, coached girls softball, enjoyed bowling, fishing and golfing, sang in the church choir and belonged to an organized men's quartet.

Survivors include his daughters, (Mrs. Ervin) Donna GEIMER of St. Louis, MO; (Mrs. Herbert) Dawn SEILER of Garner, (Mrs. Jim) Joan CORDRAY of Burnsville, MN; Mrs. Carmen KLEINWACHTER of Grand Forks, ND; eleven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren as well as one sister Pearl OLESON of Sumner.

John was preceded in death by his parents, his wife in May, 1991, one brother Henry and three infant siblings.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, March of 2011