John Francis Hand 1884-1955

HAND, HIGGINS, FRIES, SCHULTZ, NICOLAI, OBRIEN

Posted By: Bonnie Hand (email)
Date: 8/10/2008 at 10:35:33

From The Emmetsburg Democrat
December 1, 1955

Hold Last Rites For John Hand At Mahnomen

Funeral services for John Hand, 71, former well known Great Oak township farmer, who died in St. Joseph's hospital at Detroit Lakes, Minn. Thursday where he had been a patient since Monday were held at St. Joseph's Catholic church at Mahnomen Saturday, Nov. 25, at 10:00 A.M. A requiem high mass was celebrated by the pastor, the Rev. Father Bruno, OSB. Burial was in St. Joseph's Catholic cemetery at Beaulieu, Minn. The Mattson Funeral home of Mahnomen was in charge of arrangements.
Pallbearers were Jerry Klinkhammer, George Ahrends, Jerome Klinkhammer, Alvin Babler, Carl Offerdahl and John Nicolai.

John Francis Hand, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Tom Hand, was born on a farm in Great Oak township on Jan. 22, 1884. He was married in Sacred Heart church at Ayrshire in February, 1914 to Miss Katie Higgins. Six children were born to the couple. A son, Ronald Hand died in the Great Lakes Naval hospital in 1948. Survivors include the daughters and son, Mrs. Wallace Schultz, (Margaret) Detroit Lakes, Minn., Mrs. Earl Fries, (Helen), Spirit Lake, Mrs. Harry Nicolai (Kathryn), Sun Valley, Calif., Francis Hand, Kootenai, Idaho and Mary Jane, Fairbault, Minn., three brothers, Thomas Hand, Borup, Minn. and Joseph Hand and William Hand and a sister, Mrs. P.T. O'Brien all of Emmetsburg.
Mr. and Mrs. Hand moved to Borup, Minn. shortly after their marriage where they lived for some time. About 14 years ago they purchased a farm at Mahnomen, Minn., where they still resided at the time of Mr. Hand's death.

Among the local relatives who drove to Mahnomen to attend the last rites held last Saturday were Mrs. P.T. O'Brien, William and J.P. Hand, Clem Hand, Jack Jackson, Mr. and Mrs. John D. Higgins, Mrs. Leo Schany and Mrs. Gene Kane.
Mr. Hand's brother, Thomas, of Borup, Minn. was unable to attend his brother's funeral because of illness so the Emmetsburg relatives drove to Borup Friday to see him.