VOLBERDING, Herman F. 1876-1954

VOLBERDING, HEMPEN

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 11/15/2019 at 19:46:08

H. F. Volberding, Former Dike P.M., Dies Suddenly

Herman F. Volberding, a resident of Grant township, Grundy county 78 years and a postmaster at Dike for 15 years, died quite suddenly at his home in Dike Monday afternoon following a heart attack. He had been afflicted with a heart ailment for a number of years.

Herman Volberding was born on a farm in Grant township, July 1st, 1876. He was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Volberding among the early residents of Grant township. He came from a family of eight sons and four daughters, all of whom grew up on a Grant township farm.

He was baptized in August, 1876, by the pastor of the St. John's Lutheran Church of Cedar Falls, confirmed on March 30, 1890 at Zion Lutheran Church of Hudson. After his marriage, he and his wife joined the Lincoln Center Christian Reformed Church and after moving to Dike, transferred to the M.E. church.

Herman Volberding and Minnie F. Hempen of Dike were married March 1st, 1905. The first eleven years of their married life they resided on the home farm in Grant township. They moved to Dike in March, 1916 and that remained their home continually. After coming to town Mr. Volberding engaged in carpentering for some time and then became assistant manager of a Dike lumber yard. For eleven years he was the janitor in the Reinbeck consolidated school.

Appointed Postmaster In 1936
On June 1st, 1936, Mr. Volberding was appointed postmaster at Dike. He held that position until May 31st, 1951 after he had reached the age of retirement with fifteen years of service. Mr. Volberding was a painstaking and an accommodating public official. He left a very good record as a postmaster and his retirement was entirely due because he had reached retirement age. Since retiring from public service he had been taking things easy and he and his wife were enjoying their advanced years in comfort. The many people who knew Herman Volberding respected and trusted him and will learn with regret of his death. He held a life membership in the Dike Commercial Club which he helped to organize.

Funeral services will be held in the Methodist church in Dike at two o'clock Thursday afternoon. Burial will be in the cemetery at Dike.

The immediate members of his family who survive are his wife; two daughters, Mrs. Marie Reiter, Northwood and Mrs. Lee Wilson, Hardy, Iowa; two sons, John of Dike and Edward, Des Moines. There are four granddaughters.

Other surviving members of his family are four brothers and three sisters. The brothers, Albert, Chicago; Fred, Orange, Calif; Will, Dodge Center, Minn.; Otto, Lattimer, Iowa. The sisters are, Laura, Reinbeck; Ella, Belle Plaine; Mrs. Will Jensen, Belle Plaine.

Business Houses Will Close
The business houses in Dike will be closed during the funeral services for Mr. Volberding.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 1 April 1954, pg 1, 6