MOUW, Johanna (Gezink) 1902-1949

MOUW, GEZINK

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 10/26/2011 at 01:44:10

Mrs. Ben Mouw of
St. Ansgar Died
After Long Illness

Funeral services for Mrs. Ben Mouw, 46, of St. Ansgar were held Saturday, January 8, at her home and at the Methodist church in St. Ansgar with the Reverend E. E. Pencook officiating. Burial was made in the St. Ansgar town cemetery. Mrs. Mouw died last Wednesday at Worrell Hospital in Rochester after a two-year illness.

Johanna, fourth child of Henry and Johanna Gezink, was born July 29, 1902, at Maurice, Iowa. From early childhood she lived with her parents in the vicinity of Sioux Center and was living there at the time of her marriage to Ben W. Mouw February 26, 1930. To this union three children were born, Willis, Shirley, and Gene. The family moved from Sioux Center and lived a while at Sheldon. They moved to St. Ansgar about eight years ago and have lived in that community since.

Mrs. Mouw received her elementary education at Sioux Center in the Christian School, and parochial school of the Christian Reformed Church. One of her instructors, the Reverend Albert Bratt, a lifelong friend of the family, assisted in the final rites Saturday.

Mrs. Mouw later taught in the same school in which she received her education. She graduated from Northwestern Academy of Orange City and also took a course in normal training at Calvin college.

She was very active in church work and community activities. She taught Sunday school for many years and served on a variety of committees. She was especially fond of children and young people.

About 10 years ago she was hospitalized for surgery which was successful. The last two years she was suffering from a malady for which no permanent cure is yet known. With the exception of brief visits at home with the family, she spent the major part of the last year in hospitals at Mason City and Rochester.

Surviving are her husband, Ben; three children, Willis, 17, Shirley, 16, and Gene, 13, all at home and all students in the St. Ansgar schools; her father, Henry Gezink, of Sioux Center; three brothers, Bert of Sheldon, Chris and Gerrit, both of Sioux Center; three sisters, Mrs. Benjamin R. (Minnie) DeJong of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Mrs. Clarence (Bertha) Triezenberg of Evergreen Park, Chicago, Illinois, and Miss Christine Geznick of Sioux Center.

She was preceded in death by her mother, one sister, Harriet, and one brother, Henry.

[Mitchell County Press, Thursday, January 13, 1949]