Popken, John Carl 1898-1981

POPKEN, MARIENEAU, VANDERHELM, HEEREN, ROHLFS, GILLAM, LAMOUREUX, BLOOMQUIST

Posted By: Janet Schuldt, Volunteer (email)
Date: 7/26/2016 at 18:02:57

Akron Register-Tribune, Akron. Plymouth, Iowa Thursday, May 14, 1981

John C. Popken

John C. Popken, 83, lifelong Plymouth county resident, died at the Akron hospital Saturday (May 9, 1981) of an apparent heart attack.

Services were held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Immanuel Lutheran church in Akron. The Rev. Julian Swanson officiated. Burial was in Riverside cemetery under direction of Schroeder funeral home, Akron. A prayer service was held at 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.

Pall bearers were Cliff Miller, Fred Claesson, Richard Dirks, Stuart Harris, Robert Tucker, Lyle Jacobs, Curtis Lewison and Harlan Klave.

John Carl Popken, was born April 9, 1898 to Fred and Driedricka Johnson Popken in Plymouth county. He was baptized and confirmed into the Lutheran faith at St. John's Lutheran church, Preston township, rural Akron. He married Esther Marienau, Nov. 28, 1925 in Sioux City. He farmed his entire life in the Akron area. The couple retired in 1967 and moved to Akron, where they have resided since. He was an active member of Immanuel Lutheran church, serving as an usher and a past church board member.

Survivors include his wife, Esther of Akron; one daughter, Ramona VanderHelm, and her husband Allen, of Akron; two grandchildren, Maes VanderHelm and Mrs. David (Kerry) Heeren, both of Akron; three great-grandchildren, Jamie and Nathan VanderHelm and Crystal Heeren; four brothers, Fred of Ireton; George of Wilmington, Del.; Elmer of Hudson, S.D.; and William of LeMars; and four sisters, Theresa Rohlfs of Randolph, Neb.; Mrs. Earl (Freda) Gillam of Carthage, S.D.; Mrs. Leonard (Mathilda) Lamoureux of Akron; and Katharine Bloomquist of Magnet, Neb.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers and two sisters