RIEKENA, John T. 1908-1978

RIEKENA, GEERDES, PETERS

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 4/26/2014 at 12:11:52

John T. Riekena Dies Sunday Of Heart Attack

John T. Riekena passed away on Sunday morning, January 1, 1978, at his home in Wellsburg due to an apparent heart attack. He reached the age of 68 years, 7 months and 26 days.

Funeral services were held on Wednesday, January 4, 1978 at 1:30 p.m. at the Second Christian Reformed Church. Rev. John H. Elenbaas was officiating clergyman. Mrs. Ivan Slifer and Mrs. Harold Okones sang two duet numbers. Mrs. LuRay Neessen was organist. Flower attendants were Mrs. Tyle Huisman and Mrs. Ralph Huisman. Pall bearers were Tyle Huisman, Ralph Huisman, Sherwood Snittjer, Jakie Lindaman, Clarence Geerdes and Don Ross. Interment was held in the Shiloh cemetery at Wellsburg. Doyen Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Riekena was born on a farm southeast of Wellsburg, on May 5, 1908, the son of Trieno and Alice (Geerdes) Riekena, and attended the rural school in the area. He graduated from the Wellsburg high school in 1926, and attended Iowa State College at Ames for one year. On January 23, 1931, he was united in marriage to Norma Peters of Marshalltown. Following their marriage they lived in Wellsburg. John managed the Snittjer Grain Co. in Wellsburg for 35 years and later worked at the Kruse Grain Co. in Cleves for 10 years before retiring.

He was a member of the Second Christian Reformed Church of Wellsburg, having made confession of his faith in Jesus Christ on April 17, 1949.

Preceding him in death were his parents, his wife, who passed away on April 28, 1977, one sister, Mrs. Henry (Emma) DeNeui and two brothers, Raymond and Willard Riekena.

Survivors include one son Donn J. Riekena of Minneapolis, Minn., one daughter, Mrs. Martin (Judith Ann) Kasischke of Eldora, 2 granddaughters, Kim and Tam Kasischke, both of Cedar Falls, 1 brother, Jake Riekena of Reinbeck, and many other relatives and friends.

--The Grundy Register/Wellsburg Herald (Grundy Center, Iowa), 5 January 1978, section 2, pg 1