HARKEN, Reemt U. 1882-1961

HARKEN, JANSONIUS

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 4/28/2016 at 07:57:29

Reemt U. Harken of Austinville Dies At Home Tuesday

Funeral services for Reemt U. Harken will be held Friday, June 9 at 2 p.m. in the West Friesland Presbyterian Church, following prayer service in the family home at Austinville at 1:30 p.m. The Rev. Norman Flink will officiate. Interment will be in the church cemetery.

Mr. Harken, a lifelong resident of this area, died on Tuesday, June 6, at the age of 79 years, one month and 10 days.

He was born in Butler county April 27, 1882. On March 16, 1905 he was united in marriage to Ipina Jansonius by the Rev. Kliebenstein.

To this union were born nine children, four daughters and five sons: Margery (Mrs. Peter Schaap), Aplington; John, Holland, Michigan; Fred, Lakeview, Michigan; Cornelius, Waterloo; Gertrude (Mrs. Louis Ontjes), Aplington; Bernice (Mrs. Paul Rewerts), Grundy Center; Robert, and Ann Marie (Mrs. Elmer Younker), Ackley. One son, Urban passed away in 1956.

He is also survived by 24 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mrs. Bena Neymeyer and Mrs. Ben Popkes, and one brother, Klaas U. Harken, all of Aplington.

After farming for seven years in Butler and Grundy Counties, in 1912 Mr. and Mrs. Harken moved to Austinville where he was in business in a general store. After selling the business in 1931 he worked as a carpenter, retiring in 1949 after he suffered a heart attack.

Mr. Harken was well known and respected in this community, having given of his time and talent in local projects whenever he could be of help. He served as a director of the public school and as superintendent of the Independent Sunday School in Austinville.

In the Westfriesland Church, of which he was a member for about 56 years, he served several years as a deacon and for more than 30 years as an elder and clerk of Session, and for many years as a Sunday School teacher.

--Ackley World-Journal (Ackley, Iowa), 8 June 1961, pg 1, 10