ITZEN, Gertie 1881-1920

ITZEN, KRUGER

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 3/17/2017 at 22:01:27

Mrs. Jos. Itzen

One of the saddest deaths we have been called upon to record in recent years is that of Mrs. Jos. Itzen, which occurred at the family home two and a half miles northwest of Grundy Center last Thursday morning at 10 o'clock.

Unusually sad is this death because of the large family of young children she leaves to mourn her untimely taking away--children who are at just that age to need the love and tender care only a true mother can give to them. These children's ages range from seventeen years to five months, and besides being bereft of this mother's love, they are all sick with influenza. Neighbors with tender hands and kindest of hearts are there to minister to them, and together with the father are doing all they can to lighten the burden of sorrow which has so suddenly fallen upon them.

Gertie Kruger was born in Colfax township, Grundy county, Iowa, on November 27, 1881, and passed from this life at the age of thirty-eight years, two months and twenty-eight days. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. K. C. Kruger, her father having preceded her in death in 1912. On the 23rd of February, eighteen years ago, she was united in marriage to Jos. Itzen, and to them were born nine children, eight of whom survive the mother. These are Fannie, age 17 years; Claus, Bernedenia, Hermena, Margaret, Lucile, John and Harm, the latter being five months old. A baby girl also named Hermena, died at the age of six months. Besides the father and eight children, she is mourned by her mother, and five brothers. The names of the brothers are Chris Kruger, Henry, Barney and Albert, all living in Grundy county, and Claas Kruger at Reading, Minn.

The children of Mr. and Mrs. Itzen had been suffering from the attacks of influenza for several weeks past, and true to the mother's nature she had nursed and worked with them until her strength was gone and the disease laid its hand upon her overtaxed body. This was followed by pneumonia and pleurisy, and in less than a week death had entered the home and called away the one that seemingly could not be spared at any cost.

The funeral services were held from the home Monday afternoon, a strange coincidence being the fact that it was the eighteenth anniversary of her marriage to Mr. Itzen. The service was in charge of Rev. H. R. Pontow of the Holland church, and the remains were interred in the Holland cemetery.

--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 21 October 1909, pg 6