DIEKEN, John 1872-1945

DIEKEN, LINGELBACH

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 4/4/2017 at 14:20:56

John Dieken Passed Away Saturday Morning

Had Been In Poor Health For Number Of Years. Was Secretary Of Grundy Mutual Insurance Association.

John Dieken passed away at his home in Grundy Center Saturday morning after an illness of several years' duration during which time he made a number of trips to a Waterloo hospital and underwent several operations.

John Dieken was a lifelong resident of Grundy county and one of it's most highly respected citizens. His passing will leave a void on main street that will be hard to fill. His hearty greetings and friendly smile, which ill health and constant pain could not erase from his sterling character, will be missed by old and young alike. He never shirked a duty nor failed to fulfill an obligation. He understood the shortcomings of his fellow men and was always tolerant under any and all circumstances.

Held Many Positions of Trust
Mr. Dieken was always interested in the building and welfare of his community and held many positions of trust, among them being township trustee, member and director of school board. He was a member of the Board of Supervisors from 1911 to 1914. He was a charter member and later a director of the Fern Creamery Co. until he moved to Grundy Center. He helped to organize and was one of the first directors of the Dike Cooperative and was on the board of directors of the old Farmers Savings bank of Dike. He was also a director of the Peoples Savings Bank and the First Trust and Savings bank of Grundy Center.

His outstanding achievement as a public servant came in the years following his election as secretary of The Grundy County Farmers Mutual Fire and Lightning Insurance Association which position he held at the time of his death and represented nearly 21 years of service. During those years he increased the amount of insurance in effect five times. When he took over the secretaryship, total insurance was three million and at the time of his death it was in excess of fifteen million.

John Dieken, son of Mr. and Mrs. Heye Dieken, was born on a farm in Butler county, Iowa, on September 10, 1872. Shortly after his birth he, with his parents, moved to Lincoln township, Grundy county. Grundy county has been his home ever since except for about a year and a half when he was ten years old when his parents moved to Kansas. Due to a severe drought in Kansas the family returned to Lincoln township.

He was united in marriage to Mary Lingelbach on March 3, 1897, and the young couple started farming on a farm in Lincoln township which remained their home until 1922 when they retired and moved to Grundy Center. His wife preceded him in death on June 5, 1944, also one son, John W., who was accidentally killed in a motorcycle accident while serving on the Dallas, Texas, police force, August 10, 1935.

Surviving are two sons, Heye Dieken, on the home farm, Arthur V., and one daughter, Mrs. Otto Tennant, all of Grundy Center. Also one brother, Jurgen H. Dieken, of Grundy Center, and one sister, Mrs. John K. Kruse, Cedar Falls. One sister, Mrs. Elso E. Groote, and one brother, D. H. Dieken, preceded him in death. He is also survived by 6 grandchildren.

Both the deceased husband and wife, early in their married life, became members of the Colfax Center Presbyterian church and later attended the Lincoln Center Christian Reformed church. After moving to Grundy Center they transferred their membership to the Bethany Presbyterian church of Grundy Center and were members at the time of their death. Mr. Dieken was treasurer of this church for many years but resigned when continued ill health prohibited his carrying on.

Funeral services were held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday from the home and at 2:00 from the Bethany Presbyterian church. In the absence of the pastor, Rev. Langenberg, Dr. J. E. Drake was in charge of the services. Burial was in the Colfax Center Presbyterian church cemetery beside his wife and son.

Pallbearers, officers and directors of the Insurance Association, were C. W. Mooty, George Seeman, V. H. Steffen, W. T. Cold, H. J. Kruse and Joe Boyenga.

Honorary pallbearers, also directors of the Association, were Wayne Bausman, Herman Reinicke, S. E. Schmitt, Henry Brandhorst, E. A. Cowie, P. A. Meyer, O. S. Dinnes, H. A. Lynn, George Eggleston, Clarence Brown, Gus Treimer and Russell Eggleston.

Relatives and friends coming from a distance to attend the funeral included Will and George Lingelbach, Will and Kate Voelker and Mrs. Boerger, all of Waterloo; Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Matson, Mr. and Mrs. L. H. Asmus, Bricelyn, Minn.; M. Asmus, Rake, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Harry H. Paul, Waukee; Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Tennant and Vernon Tennant, Norwalk; Mrs. Ed Helvig, Jacob England, Mr. and Mrs. Harry England, all of Iowa Falls; Nettie and Kate Waldman, Mrs. Henry Schoemann, Mrs. Vernon Schoemann, Harm Schaa, all of Cedar Falls; Mr. and Mrs. Theo H. Schaa, Mr. and Mrs. Chris W. Schaa, Eldora; Mr. and Mrs. Frank DeBower, Shell Rock.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 30 August 1945, pg 1, 12