GEERDES, Lena 1865-1948

GEERDES, EEKHOFF, RIEKENA

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 12/24/2016 at 13:52:12

Mrs. Heye Geerdes Dies Tuesday At Wellsburg

Mrs. Heye Geerdes who had been a resident of Shiloh township 74 years, died at her home in Wellsburg at 3:45 Tuesday morning. She had been in failing health for a number of months. A heart ailment during recent weeks together with advanced age, hastened her death. She was 82 years old.

Was Native of Germany
Mrs. Geerdes was a native of Germany. Her maiden name was Lena Eekhoff. She was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dick Eekhoff. When she was 8 years old she came with her parents to America and they came direct to Grundy county and located on a farm in Shiloh township. That was before there was a town at Wellsburg.

Was Twice Married
In 1884 she was married to W. W. Riekena. The couple started housekeeping on a Shiloh township farm and that remained their home during their entire married life. Mr. Riekena died in 1910. About ten years later she left the farm and came to Wellsburg. In 1923 she and Heye Geerdes were married. Mr. Geerdes died in 1941.

There were five children from the first marriage and all of them are living. They are: Mrs. Jay Williams, Mrs. George H. Geerdes and W. W. Riekena, Wellsburg, Mrs. Ray Lillibridge, Rockwell City, Iowa, and D. W. Riekena, Wellsburg. There are twelve grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren. Other surviving relatives are a step-daughter, Mrs. Ray Gimer, and a step-son, George H. Geerdes. There are two surviving sisters. They are: Mrs. J. H. Middents and Mrs. Rachel Ohden, both from Kamrar, Iowa. Three brothers and one sister preceded her in death.

Funeral Services Thursday
Funeral services for Mrs. Geerdes will be at the home early Thursday afternoon and later at the First Christian Reformed church west of Wellsburg, of which Mrs. Geerdes had been a member during the large part of her lifetime. Burial will be by the side of her first husband in the cemetery adjoining the church. Services by Rev. VandeKieft.

Casket bearers are Jerry and Will Williams, Harold Geerdes, Willard Riekena, August Schafer and Mayo Tjaden.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 5 February 1948, pg 8

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Funeral Services For Mrs. Heye Geerdes Held Last Thursday

Funeral services for Mrs. Heye Geerdes were held Thursday, Feb. 5 at one o'clock at the home in Wellsburg and later at the First Christian Reformed Church. Services were in charge of the pastor, Rev. J. VandeKieft. Interment was in the church cemetery.

Music was furnished by a male quartet, Arthur Cooper, Peter B. Eekhoff, Dick Freese, Thos. Schafer, with Mrs. Arthur Cooper as organist. Flower attendants were Mrs. Elmer Fritzel and Miss Josephine Gross.

Casketbearers were Harry Williams, Will Williams, Harold Geerdes, Willard Riekena, August Schafer and Mayo Tjaden.

Mrs. Heye Geerdes was born at Wolthuisen, Germany, on Oct. 2nd, 1865. Her maiden name was Lena Eekhoff, her father's name being Dirk Eekhoff. At the age of eight the family came to America and settled in the vicinity of Wellsburg. Into this family were born three sons and four daughters. Of these only two daughters remain to mourn the loss of their sister. Mrs. Geerdes lived in the vicinity of Wellsburg all her life. In the year 1884 she was joined in holy wedlock with W. W. Riekena. To this union were born five children, two sons and three daughters all of whom still live to mourn the loss of their mother.

In the year 1910 great sorrow came to the family when the husband and father, W. W. Riekena, was taken away from their midst thru death. Later in the year 1923 Mrs. Riekena entered a second marriage with Heye Geerdes. He preceded her in death in 1941. Mrs. Geerdes passed out of this life in the early morning of Feb. 3, 1948 at the age of 82 years, 4 months and 1 day. She was a life long member of the First Christian Reformed church at Wellsburg and also a member of the Ladies Guild of that church.

Surviving to mourn her loss are: two sons, W. W. Riekena and D. W. Riekena of Wellsburg. Three daughters, Mrs. George H. Geerdes and Mrs. Jerry Williams of Wellsburg, and Mrs. Ray Lillibridge of Rockwell, Iowa. Two step-children, George Geerdes and Mrs. Ray Gimer of Wellsburg. Twelve grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren. Two sisters, Mrs. J. H. Middents, and Mrs. Rachel Ohden of Kamrar, Iowa.

Following are the names of those from a distance attending the funeral.
Mrs. Rachel Ohden, Miss Grace Ohden, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Middents, Mr. and Mrs. Abel Middents, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Middents, Benjamin Middents of Kamrar, Iowa; John Middents, Ames, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Dick Ohden, Richard Ohden, Williams, Iowa; Peter Ohden, Stanhope, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Clark Winchell, Mrs. Harold Hazelett, Don Graham, Waverly, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Harold Keninger, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Scallon, Mr. and Mrs. Charley Ryken, Martin Ryken, Mrs. Roy Heflmier, Mrs. Effie Zacharias, Ted Zacharias, Ackley, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Gratus Riekena, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Riekena, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Riekena, Renke Riekena, Miss Mary Riekena, Forest City, Iowa; Ed Aukes, Walter Aukes, Buffalo Center, Iowa; Wiard Aukes, Melville Aukes, German Valley, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. George Sietsema, Mr. and Mrs. John G. Bakker, Mrs. John W. Bakker, Renville, Minn.; Ben Riekena, Missoula, Montana; Mrs. Fred Widman, Harley Meyer, Waterloo, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Carl Oelman, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Oelman, Mr. and Mrs. Merle Johns, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Folkerts, Ackley, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Berhends, Mr. and Mrs. Gerd Geerdes, Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Eilers, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Luiken, Claus Ross and Bessie Geerdes, Steamboat Rock, Iowa.

--The Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 12 February 1948, pg 1