RIEKENA, Ben 1843-1924

RIEKENA

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 2/1/2015 at 09:11:15

Old Resident Dies Saturday

Ben Riekena Passed Away at Age of 81 Years

Ben Riekena died at his home in Wellsburg at 10:30 last Saturday evening from old age. He was sick less than a week. He was able to be about town on the Monday before. He seemed to have an attack of indigestion and was taken to his bed where he failed gradually and rapidly until the end came.

Funeral services were held at the home at one o'clock yesterday and later at the Reformed church. Interment was made in the family lot in the Wellsburg cemetery.

Mr. Riekena was one of the early settlers in northwest Grundy. He came here from Germany with his family fifty-nine years ago and lived here continually up to the time of his death. He was 81 years old. He located on a farm two miles west of Wellsburg which he bought in an early day and remained there until he moved to town about ten years ago.

Mr. Riekena is survived by eight children. The children are Mrs. George Mennega, Mrs. George J. Geerdes, Mrs. Eilert Ertmoed, Gratus, Mrs. Ebbo Nederhoff, Mrs. Albert Lutterman, Joe B. and Peter. All excepting Gratus, whose home is at Woden, reside in this locality. Mr. Riekena's wife died about five years ago. Aside from the children, Mr. Riekena is survived by his brother, J. W. Riekena, who is 85 years old, and Everet who is 79.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 16 October 1924, pg 3