John O. Hedstrom 1852 - 1938

HEDSTROM, JOHNSON, LINDGREN, LARSON, LINDQUIST, MELEEN, LINDBERG

Posted By: volunteer (email)
Date: 5/21/2024 at 20:44:30

OBITUARY OF A HIGHLY RESPECTED CITIZEN, JOHN HEDSTROM

John O. Hedstrom was born July 29, 1852 in West Nordland, Sweden, died Wednesday morning, February 23, 1938, in Kiron, Iowa, at the age of 85 years, 6 months, 24 days. His parents name was Lars Erick Hedstrom.

He came to America in company with three other brothers and his parents, coming to Casey, Guthrie county, Iowa, where they stayed for two years, working most of the time on the railroad. They had left two brothers and a sister in Sweden. In 1870 he moved to Webster county where he worked for farmers for a period of two years, and in 1875 he moved into this community, where he has since resided.

In July 1876 he was one of the nineteen that were baptized in the Otter Creek and joined the Kiron Baptist church where he has remained a faithful member ever since.

On November 20, 1879 he married Laveeda Johnson who passed away August 18, 1888, and to this union was born one daughter, Pearl, Mrs. Pearl Lindgren, Mallard, Iowa.

On October 16, 1889 he married Mary Matilda Larson, and this happy union was blessed with five children, namely: Mabel, Mrs. Frank Lindquist of Arthur; Ethel, Mrs. Verne H. Meleen; Paul, Jubel, and Ruth, Mrs. Ruth Lindberg; all of Kiron and vicinity.

In 1879 he went to farming on the old John O. Hedstrom place in Wheeler township which he lived on and farmed continuously for 51 years. This place he had purchased as raw prairie and had broken its virgin soil and made a home of it, and where he was privileged to live many happy years with his family.

Mr. Hedstrom was of a quiet unassuming personality. He had gone through much of hard experience in the early pioneer days. His family had had more than its share of sickness in those early days. He was one of the sturdy type of manhood who had been taught by his early experiences to be independent. He had taken considerable interest in the local civic affairs in the community in which he lived, having served in some of its offices of trust.

In December 1929 he retired from the farm moving to Kiron, and in latter years lived with his daughter, Mrs. Ruth Lindberg, where he passed away to his final reward. He leaves to mourn, his four daughters, two sons, two daughter-in-law, two sons-in-law, fifteen grandchildren and many other relatives and friends.

Peace be to his memory.

Funeral services were held from the home of his daughter, Mrs. Ruth Lindberg, at 1:30 o'clock Saturday afternoon and 2 o'clock from the Baptist church conducted by the pastor, Rev. W. W. Johnson. A mixed quartette, composed of Fern Johnson, Mrs. Dorothy Clauson, Adelbert Sjogren and Harry Lindstrom, sang "Lead Kindly Light" and "The Home Over There" with Lillian Engberg at the piano. The pallbearers were V. H. Youngquist, E. L. Miller, N. E. Larson, Carl Gustafson, Alfred Danielson and Thure Linden.

Many came to pay their last respects to the departed brother. Relatives coming from a distance were P. A. Hedstrom, Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Hedstrom and sons, Eldred, Leonard and Maynard, of Rockwell City, Mrs. Theodore Bergstrom and daughters of Manson, Mr. and Mrs. Vernie Larson of Alcester, S. Dak., Mr. and Mrs. C. O. Larson, Mrs. A. C. Gottburg and Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Lindgren of Sioux City, Mrs. Pearl LIndgren and son, Waldon, of Mallard, Iowa, and Wallace Larson of Omaha.
Interment was made in the family plot in the Kiron Cemetery.

From 23 Feb 1938 -- Kiron Newspaper
From Glenn Gustafson