CLAASSEN, John H. 1867-1959

CLAASSEN, GRAFFEE

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 12/23/2016 at 10:30:19

John H. Claassen Dies on Tuesday

John H. Claassen, 91, died Tuesday afternoon in the Lawless Nursing Home at Eldora, where he had made his home since January.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in the Engelkes Funeral Home, Grundy Center, Rev. Wayne Overholser of Marshalltown in charge. Burial will be in the First Christian Reformed Church cemetery west of Wellsburg.

Mr. Claassen was born November 16, 1867, in Emden, Germany, and came to this country while a young man of 18 and settled in the vicinity of Wellsburg.

He was united in marriage to Deadricka Graffee on March 3, 1896. The couple farmed near Wellsburg until 1928 when they retired and moved to Grundy Center. Mrs. Claassen passed away May 23, 1942.

The deceased continued to make his home in Grundy Center until 1950, when he went to Marshalltown to live with a daughter, Mrs. Albert Siefken. In January of this year he went to the Eldora nursing home.

He is survived by six daughters and one son, Mrs. John Fisher, Toledo; Mrs. Ben Geerdes, Steamboat Rock; Mrs. Pearl Meyer, Dike; Dick Claassen, Holland; Mrs. Siefken, Mrs. Harm Klunder and Mrs. Harm Rust, both of Grundy Center.

Also surviving are 14 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife and three sons, one in infancy, John in 1943 and Leroy in 1957.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 15 October 1959, pg 8

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Services Held for John H. Claassen of Grundy Ctr. Thurs.

John H. Claassen, 91, of Grundy Center, died October 13 in the Lawless Nursing Home in Eldora.

A native of Emden, Germany, Mr. Claassen came to this country when he was 18 years old and settled in the Wellsburg vicinity. He and Deadricka Graffee were married March 3, 1896, and they farmed near Wellsburg until 1928 when they retired and moved to Grundy Center. Mrs. Claassen died May 23, 1942. Mr. Claassen continued to make his home in Grundy Center until 1950 when he went to Marshalltown to live with a daughter, Mrs. Albert Siefken. He has lived in the Nursing Home since January of this year.

Surviving are six daughters and one son: Mrs. John Fisher, Toledo; Mrs. Ben Geerdes, Steamboat Rock; Mrs. Pearl Meyer, Dike; Dick Claassen, Holland; Mrs. Siefken; Mrs. Harm Klunder and Mrs. Harm Rust, both of Grundy Center; 14 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services, conducted by the Rev. Wayne Overholser of Marshalltown, were held Thursday in the Engelkes Funeral Home in Grundy Center. Burial was in the First Christian Reformed Church cemetery, Wellsburg.

--The Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 22 October 1959, pg 5