Grace Dirksen (1878-1958)

DIRKSEN, WENZEL, SUNTKEN, HOEKSTRA, TABBERT, SERVANTEZ, OSTENDORF, WIEMANN

Posted By: M. B. Bertilson (email)
Date: 9/8/2020 at 22:55:26

Mrs. Grace Dirksen
rural Alexander, Iowa
May 26, 1878 -- November 15, 1958

Final Rites Held For Mrs. Dirksen Monday Afternoon

Funeral Services for Mrs. Grace Dirksen, 80, of Alexander were held at 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Fred Wenzel, Sr., home and 2:00 o'clock at the Reformed church in Alexander. Rev. John Hoekstra officiated and the Johnston Funeral Home of Belmond was in charge of arrangements.

Burial was in the Alexander cemetery. Serving as pallbearers were six grandchildren: Fred Wenzel, Jr., James Wenzel, Eldred Tabbert, George Wenzel, Robert Wenzel and Tony Servantez.

Mrs. Dirksen, a resident of the Alexander community for nearly 70 years, passed away early Saturday morning at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Fred Wenzel, Sr., after several months of declining health.

She was born in Germany, May 26, 1878, the daughter of Onno and Alida Suntken. At an early age, she moved with her parents to this country. She grew to womanhood in Alexander and on March 4, 1902, was married to Klaas Dirksen.

They farmed near Alexander for the next two years, until his untimely death on July 27, 1904. At that time she moved to the farm of her parents northeast of Alexander and made her home with them for the next 15 years, then moving into her own home in Alexander.

Surviving in addition to her daughter, Mrs. Wenzel, are four brothers -- Henry Suntken, John Suntken, Fred Suntken and Enno Suntken; one sister, Mrs. H. Ostendorf; nine grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.

Preceding her in death besides her parents and husband were three brothers -- Harm, Klaas and Joe; one sister, Mrs. Leppo Wiemann; and one great grandchild.

Published in the Belmond Independent (Belmond, IA) on November 20, 1958.