SMIDSTRA, Charles 1894-1981

KRACHT, SMIDSTRA, KELDERMAN, JEFFER, WIERSMA

Posted By: K. Kittleson (email)
Date: 7/21/2008 at 12:11:56

[Lyon County Reporter - 9 Feb 1981 (Monday)]

Funeral services for Charles Smidstra, age 86, of Luverne, Minnesota, and formerly of Rock Rapids, Iowa, were held Friday afternoon at the American Reformed church there with Rev. William Hoffman officiating. Burial was in the Riverview Cemetery at Rock Rapids under the direction of Van Ginkel Funeral Home of Rock Rapids.

He died on Tuesday, February 3, 1981, in the Luverne, Minnesota, hospital.

Smidstra was born on November 10, 1894 in The Netherlands to Albert and Susie DeJong Smidstra. He came to the United States in 1914.

On February 4, 1921, he married Reka Kracht at Doon, Iowa. They farmed for six years near Edna, for 29 years near Rock Rapids and for five years near Luverne before retiring to Luverne in 1960. He was a veteran of World War I.

Survivors include the widow; three sons, Albert, Ellsworth, Minnesota, Bert, Rock Rapids, and Ben, Luverne; three daughters, Mrs. Henry (Susie) Kelderman and Mrs. Joe (Wilma) Jeffer, both of Luverne, and Mrs. Harvey (Jessie) Wiersma, Rock Rapids; one sister living in The Netherlands, and other descendants.