MEESTER, Joe J. 1871-1962

MEESTER

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 1/7/2017 at 16:35:55

Joe J. Meester Dies, Early Area Resident

Death called Joe J. Meester at his home in Pleasant Valley township last Saturday. He was 91 years old, was born in Pleasant Valley township, and resided on a farm in that township during all of his lifetime. He suffered a stroke at his home six years ago, but partially recovered from that and was able to be around his house and his place since that time. He was bedfast but eight days.

Meesters Were Among Earliest Residents of North Grundy
The Meester family was one of the first residents of Pleasant Valley township. The first member of the family to locate in Pleasant Valley township was Jacob Meester, Joe Meester's father, who located on a Pleasant Valley township farm about one hundred years ago. Many Meester families have come to that locality since. Joe J. was looked upon as the senior member of the family. Some of the members of the Meester family who came here at an early date moved to northwest Iowa and some of them established homes in South Dakota. There are few, and probably not another family in the county with so many descendants as the family of Joe J. Meester.

Service in Stout Reformed Church
Mr. Meester's body was taken to the Engelkes funeral home in Parkersburg where arrangements were made. There will be a prayer service at the home on Wednesday followed by a service at the Reformed church in Stout. Rev. Hoekstra, pastor of the church, will officiate at the service. Burial will be in the cemetery at Stout. The Meester family helped to organize the church in Stout. The present church building was erected in 1931 and Mr. Meester was a member of the building committee.

Joe J. Meester was born April 26, 1871, and he grew up on the same farm where he was born. On March 13, 1901, he and Gertie Meester were married. They lived on the same farm ever since their marriage. When they retired from farming a few years ago they built a second and modern house on their farm which they occupied ever since. One of the sons and his family live in the older and larger house on the farm. The couple observed their 60th wedding anniversary a year ago last April.

Wife and 10 Children Survive
Mr. Meester is survived by his wife; 10 children; Mrs. Heye Buskohl (Annie), Grundy Center; Mrs. Ted Schnell (Trena), Dike; Mrs. Henry Wolters (Jacobena), Grundy Center; Mrs. Joe Luhring (Henrietta), Parkersburg; Jacob C. Meester, Mrs. Jerry Eilderts (Martha), Herman H. Meester, Parkersburg; Mrs. Jacobus Hemmen (Esther), Dike; Mrs. Albert Kolder (Lydia), Parkersburg and Mrs. Clarence Claassen (Ruth) of Grundy Center. There are 41 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. Also surviving are two brothers, Harry and Andrew Meester of Holland and two sisters, Mrs. Susie Bergman of Stout and Miss Nettie Meester, Holland.

Preceding him in death were his parents, 4 grandchildren, one great-grandchild, three brothers, Hillard, Will and Daniel, and two sisters, Mrs. Joe A. Meester and Mrs. John Oelman. Three brothers and sisters also died in infancy.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 20 December 1962, pg 1