WILTS, John O. 1883-1958

WILTS, HARMS, JASPERS

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 8/10/2014 at 14:48:59

Rites Thursday For John Wilts

Funeral services for John Wilts were held Thursday afternoon at the Presbyterian church at Steamboat Rock and there was a large attendance at the service. The services were conducted by Rev. Kurt Marquardt from Steamboat Rock and Rev. W. Eckhoff from the Colfax Center Presbyterian church. Burial was in the Steamboat Rock cemetery.

Pallbearers were Abe DeNeui, Abe H. Jaspers, Abe Murra, Julius Heikens, Julius Wilts and John Jaspers.

Mrs. Grace Potgeter was organist. A quartet consisting of Mrs. James McDonald, Mrs. Donald Folkerts, Mrs. George Harms and Mrs. Orville Ascher were vocalists. Flower ladies were Mrs. Clella Finster and Mrs. Walter Hippelmeier.

Obituary
The following obituary was read at the church service.
John O. Wilts, son of Otto and Fenntje Harms Wilts, was born on July 16th, 1883 on a farm about four miles northeast of Steamboat Rock, Iowa. He attended the rural school nearby and grew to manhood in that community.

On February 28th, 1906 he was married to Janna Jaspers. The couple started life's journey together on a farm north of Cleves. In the year 1911 Mr. Wilts with his family moved to a farm east of Steamboat Rock, in Shiloh township, Grundy County, where they continued to live until 1945. It was at this time that Mr. and Mrs. Wilts retired from active farming and moved to Steamboat Rock.

Mr. Wilts joined the East Friesland Presbyterian church on his confession of faith in 1906. In 1915 he transferred his membership to the Presbyterian Church of Steamboat Rock and became one of the charter members of this church. Later he transferred his membership and was associated with the First Christian Reformed Church, west of Wellsburg. Upon his return to this community he again transferred his church letter to this church. He was elected and ordained to the office of Elder of the church and was active in this office at the time of his death.

Mr. Wilts was interested in school, church and community affairs and was always ready to help when opportunity came.

Five years ago Mr. Wilts submitted to very serious surgery, from which he made a reasonable recovery. He was privileged to enjoy the closing years of his life with his family and friends until late last fall when illness again overtook him. He became gradually worse at his home until last Saturday night when his condition became critical, he was taken to the Eldora Memorial Hospital where he passed away on Monday afternoon, April 14th, 1958.

He attained the age of 74 years, 8 months and 28 days. He was preceded in death by his parents, 1 brother, Menno, and 2 sisters, Antje, Mrs. Henry Jaspers, and Jennie, Mrs. Cornie Kuper.

He leaves to mourn his passing his wife, four children, namely, Fanny, Mrs. Roy Luiken of Eldora, Iowa, Abraham E. and Ordie, Mrs. Carl Reiter, both of Steamboat Rock, and Otto of Clarksville, Iowa, nine grandchildren, two brothers, Gratus Wilts of Steamboat Rock and Odie Wilts of Grundy Center, Iowa, and a sister, Mrs. Grace Heikens of Wellsburg, besides many other relatives and a host of friends.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 24 April 1958, pg 6