Oliver, John T. 1892 and Mary Bonnema Family

OLIVER, BONNEMA, TRIGG, WESTER

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 8/20/2021 at 10:35:51

Oliver, John T. 1892 and Mary Bonnema Family

This story was taken from the Sioux Center Centennial book of 1991 page 463 and 464, it was submitted to the book by Roger K. Oliver. It was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw and some notes added by Wilma J. Vande Berg both of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society.

John T. Olivier called Sioux Center home for most of his nearly 90 years. He was born May 6, 1892, in Hull, and died on March 20, 1982, in a Rock Rapids, Iowa hospital. John was the oldest of nine children born to Matthijs (Thys) Olivier and Caroline Trigg. Three of their children died in infancy including the last one which also took the life of his 40-year old mother. John was 15 then and family members were farmed out to relatives and friends.

When John was 21 years old he married Mary Bonnema but, not knowing for sure how old he was, he checked the records at the Sioux County Courthouse in Orange City. There it was discovered that his last name was spelled “Oliver” rather than “Olivier”, and the shorter spelling was adopted.

Mary Bonnema, born July 1, 1895 near Sioux Center, was one of 13 children born to Mr. and Mrs. Peter Bonnema. On February 3, 1915, Mary Bonnema married John Oliver in Sioux Center, and on October 24, 1986, she passed away at a Rock Rapids nursing home at the age of 91. Services for both John and Mary were held in Central Reformed Church in Sioux Center, and both are buried in the Sioux Center cemetery.

John and Mary lived most of their married life at 138 Street, N.E. in Sioux Center. In 1938 they moved to Lester, Iowa, where for four years they operated a grocery store (where the bank is now located). They then returned to Sioux Center to the same house they had lived in before. Here they stayed until becoming residents of Lyon Manor in Rock Rapids in July of 1978.

John ran a drayline and was an electrician before moving to Lester. After returning to Sioux Center, John did defense work in Wisconsin during the second world war and later became head custodian at the Sioux Center grade and high school until his retirement.

Soon after their first child, Kathleen, was born, John came down with tuberculosis and spent time in Oakdale, Iowa, from where doctors expected he would be sent home in a pine box. This, of course, proved to be wrong. One of the best recollections young people had of John was that he was the official Sioux Center Santa Claus which he enjoyed doing for many years.

Seven of the eight Oliver children were born in Sioux Center: Kathleen, November 6, 1915 (Mrs. Duane Gage, Lester – 4 children); Vivian, April 19, 1920, (Mrs. Harold Ageson, Lester – 4 children); Ruth, October 27, 1922, (Mrs. Ceel Van Den Brink, East Lansing, Michigan – 4 children); Jack, Feb. 9, 1926-November 25, 1969, (married Louise Franken, Sioux Center, and passed away at age 42 – 7 children); Phyllis, April 2, 1928 (Mrs. John Zeutenhorst, Orange City – 3 children, 1 deceased); Shirley, March 5, 1931, (Mrs. Butch Mouw, Orange City – 3 children, 1 deceased); Roger, July 28, 1932 (married Carol Buttjer, Rock Rapids – 2 children); and Virginia, March 13, 1939-October 9, 1966, (married Henrich Kraayenbrink, Sioux Center – 3 children, and passed away at age 27). Virginia was born in Rock Rapids, and both Jack and Virginia are buried in the Sioux Center cemetery.

As of January 1, 1990, there are 28 grandchildren, 49 great grandchildren, and 3 great great grandchildren.

by Roger K. Oliver

NOTES added by Wilma J. Vande Berg

OBITUARY of John T. Oliver 1892-1982
From the Funeral Folder of John T. Oliver:
In Memory of John T. Oliver
Born: May 6, 1892, Hull, Iowa
Died: March 20, 1982
Services at the Central Reformed Church on Tuesday, March 23, 1982 at 1:30 P.M.
Rev. Albert Ten Clay - Officiating
Special Music: Solo by Irv Mouw singing "Where The Roses Never Fade: and "The Old Rugged Cross"
Organist: Marge Beernink
Casket Bearers: Robert Ageson, Roy Gage, Dale Kraayenbrink, Evan Kraayenbrink, Jon M. Oliver, Jay Oliver, Jim Oliver, Jeff Oliver
Burial in The Memory Gardens Cemetery on Tuesday, March 23, 1982.
Arrangements by Vander Ploeg's
Obituary:
Mr. John T. Oliver passed away Saturday afternoon in Rock Rapids at the age of eighty-nine years. On February 3, 1915, in Sioux Center he was united in marriage to Mary Bonnema who now survives. To this union eight children were born: Kathleen, Mrs. Duane Gage of Lester, Ia.; Vivian, Mrs. Ceel Van Den Brink of East Lansing, Mich.; Phyllis, Mrs. John Zeutenhorst of Orange City, Ia.; Shirley, Mrs. Lorenz Mouw of Orange City, Ia.; and Roger of Rock Rapids, Ia. One son, Jack, and one daughter, Virginia, Mrs. Henrich Kraayenbrink, preceded him death. He is also survived by twenty-eight grandchildren, thirty-three great-grandchildren, one brother, Billie Oliver of Hull, Iowa and one sister, Nellie Vander Schaaf of Beaver Creek, Minn.
Mr. Oliver ran a dray line and served as an electrician in Sioux Center until 1938 when the couple purchased a grocery store in Lester. After four years they returned to Sioux Center where he was custodian at the Sioux Center Public School until his retirement. In 1978 they moved to Rock Rapids where they became residents of Lyon Manor. His passing is mourned by many friends and relatives.

(Note--John's eighth child, a daugther named Vivian, married to Harold Ageson, is not mentioned in his obit.)

OBITUARY of Mary Bonnema Mrs. John T. Oliver 1895-1986
Source unknown (unmarked clipping--Mary died October 24, 1986):
Mary Oliver
Mary Oliver, 91, of Sioux Center died Friday, October 24, at Lyon Manor Care Center in Rock Rapids.
Services were Monday, October 27, at Central Reformed Church in Sioux Center with the Rev. Dennis Wilcox officiating. Burial was in Memory Gardens Cemetery in Sioux Center.
The deceased, the former Mary Bonnema, was born July 1, 1895, in Sioux Center. She married John T. Oliver on February 3, 1915, in Sioux Center. The couple lived in Sioux Center except for four years when they lived in Lester. She had been a resident of Lyon Manor since 1978.
She was a member of Central Reformed Church in Sioux Center.
Survivors include one son, Roger of Rock Rapids; five daughters, Kathleen Gage of Lester, Vivian Ageson of Lester, Ruth Vanden Brink of East Lansing, Michigan, Phyllis Zeutenhorst of Orange City and Shirley Mouw of Orange City; 28 grandchildren; 42 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
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Source unknown, (unmarked clipping--Mary died October 24, 1986):
Mrs. John (Mary) Oliver
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa-Mrs. John (Mary) Oliver, 91, of Sioux Center, died Friday at Lyon Manor Care Center in Rock Rapids.
Services will be at 1?30 p.m. Monday at central reformed Church in Sioux Center with the Rev. Dennis Wilcox officiating. Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery at Sioux Center. Visitation will be from 2-3 p.m. Sunday at Vander Ploeg Chapel in Sioux Center.
Mrs. Oliver, the former Mary Bonnema, was born July 1, 1895 in Sioux Center. She married John T. Oliver on Feb. 3, 1915, in Sioux Center. The couple made their home in Sioux Center except for four years when they lived in Lester. She had been a resident of Lyon Manor since 1978. Mr. Oliver died March 20, 1982.
She was a member of Central Reformed Church in Sioux Center.
Survivors include one son, Roger of Rock Rapids; five daughters, Mrs. Duane (Kathleen) Gage of Lester, Mrs. Harold (Vivian) Ageson of Lester, Mrs. Ceel (Ruth) Vanden Brink of East Lansing, Mich., Mrs. John (Phyllis) Zeutenhorst of Orange City, and Mrs. Butch (Shirley) Mouw of Orange City; 28 grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.

Note: From the obit of Peter Bonnema it was determined that Mary’s mother was Tryntje Wester Mrs. Peter Bonnema 1862-1941.

Sioux Biographies maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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