Barr, Walzie Freeken 1869-1934

BARR, KORVER, FREEKEN, BRANDT, THOMPSON, PAUL

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 12/16/2011 at 09:31:01

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register

AN OBITUARY OF MRS. A.M. BARR

Walzie Freeken, daughter of Dirk Freeken and Sophia Korver Freeken, was born near Pella, October 24, 1869. Reared under the influence of the Orthodox church of that locality, she developed a strong Christian character which always exerted an influence on her life.

In the year 1889 she married Nicholas Brandt and lived near Pella the next eleven years. To this union were born two sons and two daughters: Ira Brandt, Mrs. Charles Thompson, and Mrs. Alfred Paul of Grinnell, and James Brandt of Des Moines. All of the children were present at the funeral services.

September 11, 1900, an accident to Mr. Brandt left Mrs. Brandt a widow with four small children. December 30, 1905, Mrs. Brandt married A.M. Barr and for a number of years lived in the Bethel neighorhood. In March 1917 they moved to the present Barr home just west from Grinnell.

Mrs. Barr was a charter member of the auxiliary of the Spanish American War Veterans in which organization she always held an office. She was also a member of the Rebekah lodge.

After moving near Grinnell Mrs. Barr affiliated with the Methodist church and for a number of years was a regular attendant at its services. Mrs. Barr was a good woman, a devoted wife and mother, a loyal friend and a wonderful neighbor. Her sudden death Thursday night, May 3, 1934, came as a violent shock to all her friends.

Besides her bereaved husband and children, Mrs. Barr leaves to mourn her loss three sisters, three brothers and four grandchildren. The sisters are Mrs. Mary Breen, Des Moines; Mrs. Kate Colyn, Prairie City and Mrs. Dirk Sille, Monroe. The brothers are John Freeken, Monroe; Dirk Freeken, Newton; Garrett Freeken, Muscatine. The grandchildren are Delmar Brandt, Alice and Donald Thompson of Grinnell and Jay Rex Brandt of Des Moines.

Funeral services were held from the home at 1 o'clock Sunday, May 6, and from the Methodist church at 1:30 o'clock, conducted by Rev. H.S. Wilkinson. Music was furnished by the Bethel mixed quartet who sang "In the Garden," "Old Rugged Cross" and "Going Down the Valley." Pallbearers were Thomas Smiley, Roy Beason, J.L. Fellows, C.L. McNally, Luther Verbeck and Ferd Kiesel. Burial was in Hazelwood.

Relatives from out of town who were present at the services included: Mr. John Freeken, Mr. and Mrs. Dirk Sille, Richard and Joe, Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Dykstra and Faye, Mr. and Mrs. William Sille, Mr. and Mrs. James Colyn of Monroe, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. John Colyn. Mrs. Jacob Colyn, Mrs. L.L. Carnahan of Runnells, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. C. Breen and Una Rae of Reasnor, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Rean Sille and Wilhelmina, Mr. and Mrs. John Stiernemann and Jacob of Otley, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Dirk Sille of Newton, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Gerritt Freeken and son of Muscatine, Iowa; Mr. Martin Klyn, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Smith and family of Sully, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Sam Barr and family, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Weaver of Kellogg, Iowa; Mrs. Forest Woollard and family of Alden, Minn.; Mr. and Mrs. Seth Buffum and family, Clarence W. Woollard of Montezuma, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Harry Bacon and Paul of Malcom, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Everett Van Kampen and family of Lynnville, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. John Sedrel, Mrs. Fannie Van Baale of Prairie City, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. William Esler and family of Newburg, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hendee of Colfax, Iowa; Mrs. Nellie Cox of Portland, Oregon; Mr. and Mrs. James Brandt and Joy Rex, Mrs. George Filey, Mrs. Clara McKinney, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Crews, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Armstrong of Des Moines, Iowa.