RIEKENA, Trieno J. 1881-1952

RIEKENA, GEERDES

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 8/16/2012 at 06:54:22

Funeral Services For Trieno J. Riekena Held Monday

Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. at the home and later at the Second Christian Reformed church for Trieno Riekena who died suddenly last Thursday morning of a heart attack at his home. Rev. J. Olthoff was in charge of the services. Burial was in the Shiloh cemetery at Wellsburg.

Mr. Riekena was born on Nov. 18, 1881 in Shiloh township and spent his youth on a farm west of Wellsburg. He taught a rural school from 1900-1903.

On Feb. 25, 1904 he was married to Alice Geerdes and they moved to the farm where they lived the past 48 years up to the time of Mr. Riekena's death. During these years he was township assessor, many years a member of the county board of education and also a township trustee.

Those who mourn the loss of the deceased are his wife, three sons and one daughter. They are Emma, Mrs. Henry deNeui of Steamboat Rock, Iowa; Jake of Maxwell, Iowa; John T. of Wellsburg, Iowa; and Willard of Iowa Falls, Iowa. Seven grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildern also survive as well as three brothers and one sister. They are Wiard, Evert and Annie all of Wellsburg and Fred of Monroe, South Dakota. Preceding the deceased was one son, Raymond who died Jan. 11, 1942 and two brothers Ben of Missoula, Montana and Dick of Wellsburg.

--Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 7 February 1952, pg 1

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Trieno Riekena Dies Suddenly

Death came suddenly last Thursday to Trieno Riekena, a lifelong resident of Grundy county, at his farm home 3 miles south and a half-mile east of Wellsburg. He was in the basement of his home with his wife and was separating the morning's cream when he was suddenly stricken and Dr. Kienzel from Wellsburg, who was called immediately said that death was instantaneous.

Mr. Riekena had enjoyed good health during nearly all of his lifetime. About seven years ago he had a slight heart disturbance which passed away soon and it did not occur again. He had not been quite in his usual good health since Christmas, though he was able to do his daily chores about the farm.

News of Mr. Riekena's death was received with deep regret by everyone who knew him. He had spent his lifetime in this community. Everyone knew him and everyone held him in high esteem. He was a fine citizen, a devoted husband and father and a good neighbor. His family have the sympathy of all who know them.

Funeral services were held Monday at one o'clock at the home and later in the Second Christian Reformed church in Wellsburg. Burial was in the Shiloh township cemetery. There were not enough seats in the church auditorium for those who came to attend the final rites of a good man.

Member of One of Earliest Grundy Families
Mr. Riekena was a member of one of Grundy county's earliest families. His father was Johannes Riekena, who came to America from Germany with other members of the Riekena family in 1865. The family located on a farm in southwest Shiloh township. The town of Wellsburg had not started as far back as that. There was a store and a mill at Steamboat Rock, which was the family's trading center.

Trieno Riekena was born on the family farm southwest of Wellsburg in Shiloh township on Nov. 18, 1881, and he grew up there. He attended the rural school and after finishing the course there he attended the State Normal School at Cedar Falls during three winter sessions. After completing his work at the Normal school he taught rural schools in the vicinity of Wellsburg for three years.

On Same Farm 48 Years
On February 25, 1904, Trieno Riekena and Alice Geerdes, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jake Geerdes, were married. They began housekeeping on the farm southeast of Wellsburg where they made their home continually.

Mr. Riekena was a good farmer. He adopted modern farming methods and kept the family farm in a good state of fertility and the improvements have been kept modernized.

Mr. Riekena served several years as assessor for Shiloh township and he also served several terms as a member of the board of Shiloh township trustees. He also served a number of years as a member of the Grundy county board of education. He was a regular attendant at services in his church and for a number of years was one of the church elders.

Father of Five Children
Mr. and Mrs. Riekena had five children. Four of them in addition to the wife are living. The children are Emma, Mrs. Henry DeNeui, Jake, superintendent of schools at Maxwell, Iowa, John T., Wellsburg, and Willard, of Iowa Falls. One son, Raymond, died in 1942. There are 7 grandchildren. Other surviving relatives are one sister, Annie Riekena, Wellsburg; three brothers, Wiard, Evert, Wellsburg, and Fred, Monroe, So. Dakota. One brother, Ben, died in Montana last year. Another brother, Dick J., died several years ago.

Pallbearers
Casketbearers at the service were Jerry Lutterman, Aldrich Bunger, Andrew Olthoff, John Loger, Ben Behrends and LeRoy Lutterman.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 7 February 1952, section 2, pg 2