RIEKENA, Ben P. 1902-1976

RIEKENA, ROSS, SCHAFER

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 12/18/2016 at 12:45:02

Ben Riekena Died Sunday

Ben P. Riekena of Grundy Center passed away early Sunday morning, July 18, 1976, at the Grundy County Memorial Hospital in Grundy Center due to carcinoma. He had been a patient at the hospital for the last 5 weeks. He reached the age of 73 years, 10 months and 23 days.

Funeral services were held Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at the First Christian Reformed Church in Wellsburg. Rev. John H. Bergsma and Rev. Kasjen Tebben officiated. The Messengers quartet, Rodney Anderson, Arnold Eiten, Melvin Haupt and Lary Riebkes, sang "Under His Wings" and "Does Jesus Care." Miss Elizabeth Eekhoff was organist.

Casket bearers were Larry and David Kruse, Richard Schafer, Bernard and Harlan Beninga and Donald Main. Mrs. Lilian Dieken and Mrs. Martha Ostendorf were floral attendants. Interment was in the First Christian Reformed church cemetery.

He was born on August 25, 1902, on a farm in Shiloh Township, southwest of Wellsburg, the son of Peter B. and Grietje (Ross) Riekena. He attended the rural school in the area. On January 14, 1931, he was united in marriage to Miss Alene Schafer at the parsonage of the First Christian Reformed Church by the Rev. H. C. Bode. Following their marriage they made their home in Wellsburg.

Ben worked with the John Ross Road Construction Crew for several years and later worked for John Ross Implements and the Flessner Implement Co. When they moved to Grundy Center in 1960 to make their home, he began working for the Rewerts Implement Co., partially retiring from there in 1973.

Ben was a member of the First Christian Reformed church of Wellsburg having made confession of his faith in Jesus Christ on March 29, 1927, and was a former member of the Men's Forum and Bible Study Group of the church.

Preceding him in death were his parents.

Those left to mourn his passing are his wife, Alene; 2 sisters and 1 brother, Miss Gladys Riekena, Miss Grace Riekena, William P. Riekena, all of Wellsburg, and many other relatives and friends.

The Doyen Funeral Home, Wellsburg, was in charge of arrangements.

--The Grundy Register/Wellsburg Herald (Grundy Center, Iowa), 22 July 1976, pg 3