HARKEN, Urban 1909-1956

HARKEN, WUBBENA

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 11/18/2010 at 14:28:55

Services Held Mon. p.m. for Urban Harken

Urban Harken, 46, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. U. Harken of Austinville died in a hospital in Burlington of multiple sclerosis Sunday. He had been ill for a long time.

Mr. Harken, a well-known figure in the Iowa Educational field, had been principal of Horace Mann Junior High School in Burlington from 1941 to 1943, then principal of the Burlington Senior High School from 1943 to 1953. He was administrative assistant to the superintendent from 1953 to 1954.

Born in Austinville December 22, 1909, he was graduated from the University of Dubuque and received his master's degree from the State University of Iowa in 1931. Before going to Burlington he taught in Earlville and Edgewood.

He was a past president of the southeast Iowa district of the Iowa Teachers' Association, past president of the Burlington Kiwanis club and an elder of the First Presbyterian Church.

Mr. Harken married Louise Wubbena in Dubuque June 6, 1934.

Survivors include his wife; two sons, Dennis and Richard, and a daughter, Linda, of Burlington; his parents; four sisters, Mrs. Peter Schaap, Mrs. Louis Ontjes and Mrs. Paul Rewerts, all of Aplington, and Mrs. Elmer Younker of Ackley; four brothers, John of Zeeland, Mich., Fred of Lakeview, Mich., C. E. of Waterloo and Robert of Maxwell.

Funeral services were held at the First Presbyterian Church in Burlington Monday afternoon. On Tuesday services were held at one o'clock at the West Friesland Church of Ackley, with the Rev. Norman Flink conducting, and burial was in the church cemetery.

--Ackley World-Journal (Ackley, Iowa), 19 April 1956, pg 1, 7

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Urban Harken Dies At Austinville

Urban Harken from Austinville died last Saturday in a hospital at Burlington after a long illness. He was 46 years old. He was principal of the senior high school at Burlington from 1943 to 1953, when ill health forced him to retire. He taught at Earlville and at Edgewood before going to Burlington.

Mr. Harken was born at Austinville, Dec. 22, 1909. He was a son of Mr. and Mrs. R. U. Harken. He was graduated from the University of Dubuque in 1931 and received his Master's degree at the State University of Iowa in 1938.

Mr. Harken and Louise Wubbens were married in Dubuque, June 6, 1934.

Surviving besides his widow are two sons, Dennis and Richard, and one daughter, Linda, all at home; four brothers, John and Fred Harken, in Michigan; C. E. Harken, Waterloo; Robert Harken, Maxwell; four sisters, Mrs. Peter Schaap, Mrs. Louis Ontjes and Mrs. Paul Rewerts, all of Aplington; Mrs. Elmer Younker of Ackley; also his parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. U. Harken, Austinville.

Funeral services were Monday afternoon at First Presbyterian church in Burlington and committal services were at 1 p.m. on Tuesday in Westfriesland Presbyterian church cemetery near Ackley.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 19 April 1956, pg 6