MEINDERTS, John A. 1864-1943

MEINDERTS, HERONIMUS

Posted By: from Obit Page
Date: 8/19/2010 at 18:37:56

Hold Funeral Services for John Meinderts Last Wednesday

Funeral services were held last Wednesday October 6, at the Wellsburg Reformed Church, for John Meinderts of Holland who passed away October 2 at the Deaconess hospital in Marshalltown. Services were in charge of Rev. William Landsiedel who used for his text for his English sermon Psalm 23:4 and for the sermon in the German language, Phil. 1:23. The obituary which was read as a part of the church service follows:

Jan Aukes Meinderts was born November 21, 1864 in Campen, Ostfriesland, Germany. After his military service at the age of 27 years, he came to America on February 16, 1891 making his abode at Wellsburg. A year later he was united in holy wedlock with Detje J. Heronimus on December 3, 1892 by the Reverend Jan Vanderlas, then minister of the Colfax Presbyterian church. They first made their home together for one year on a farm in Shiloh township 3 1/2 miles southwest of Wellsburg. At various intervals over a period of 11 years they lived on different places in Shiloh township according as he would find employment until in 1902 God had blessed their labor to be able to buy a farm of their own 2 miles west of Wellsburg. Here they lived for nine years, and then moved to Holland in retirement in 1911 where they intended to spend the eve of their life.

The Lord blessed their union with 6 children of whom none survived. About 10 years ago he became suddenly afflicted with a stroke of apoplexy from which he never fully recovered. During this period of helplessness his condition grew worse and required more than medical care, and was taken to the Deaconess hospital at Marshalltown on June 3, where he was for 17 weeks until in the providence of God he became released from his suffering Saturday, October 2, at 5 a.m. o'clock. He reached the age of 78 years, 11 months, 12 days. He was a patient sufferer and desired to depart from this sinful world. During my many calls at his bedside when asked is it your wish that Jesus would take you unto Himself, he always answered with an affirmative yes. The Lord matured his faith through affliction giving him the conviction that we have no abiding place on earth and that we must heed His warning, "Set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not live."

He leaves to mourn his sorrow-stricken widow as also a host of other relatives and friends. Since March 11, 1910 he was still a member of the Wellsburg Reformed Church, which will preserve for him a kind memory. May the God of all comfort, especially comfort his bereaved helpmate, because he is the true father of the widowless, their provider and counselor.

Services at the Wellsburg Reformed church on Wednesday, October 6. Interment made in the Cemetery of the Church. Text of sermon: Psalm 23,4 in English and text of sermon in the German language Phil. 1,23.

--The Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 13 October 1943, pg 4