Gleysteen, Helena, Mrs. John, 1857-1932

GLEYSTEEN, KORTEWEG

Posted By: Lydia Lucas-Volunteer (email)
Date: 12/3/2011 at 20:14:27

ENDURED ALL HARDSHIPS IN PIONEER DAYS
Helena Gleysteen Laid to Rest Saturday

Mrs. Helena Gleysteen, who passed on at her home in Alton Wednesday night, March 2, was born February 25, 1857, in Holland. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Korteweg, but when she was three years of age her mother died, leaving the father and two little girls, the elder of whom later became Mrs. Wm. Hospers of Orange City. A few years after the mother's death the little family came to the United States. They lived in Pella a short time and in 1871 or 1872 came with one of the early caravans to Sioux county, where Mr. Korteweg took up a homestead one mile west of the Carnes church. Here they encountered the difficulties and hardships of pioneer life. The nearest wood for fuel was at the Rock river, a day's trip away and other supplies were difficult to secure. The two young girls keeping house for their father learned to be self-reliant and resourceful and to face with courage the grasshopper plague and other trials of that period, which might have dismayed many older women.

In 1880 Helena Korteweg became Mrs. John Gleysteen. The marriage united two notable pioneer families of this vicinity, as Mr. Gleysteen, then a young Alton merchant, was the son of Mr. and Mrs. D. Gleysteen, among the first Alton settlers. Four children were born to the couple: D. J. Gleysteen of Alton; J. C. Gleysteen of Sioux City; Miss Sya Gleysteen of Alton, and a daughter who died in 1899 at the age of 9 months. There are five grandchildren, Leland and Rodney, sons of Dr. and Mrs. Gleysteen; John Wells, Carl and Dorothy, children of Atty. and Mrs. Gleysteen of Sioux City.

On January 12, 1917, her husband died suddenly, and her sister also passed on a few years earlier, in 1908. These sorrows were borne with fortitude by Mrs. Gleysteen, who was not then in the best of health, as for about 17 years she had been subject to heart trouble. She was confined to bed for just two days before her passing, but had not been out of the house for about six weeks. Her cheerfulness in illness and consideration for others were qualities which endeared her to many.

Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon at the Presbyterian church. The sermon was preached by Rev. Wm. Gleysteen of Peiping, China, brother-in-law of Mrs. Gleysteen. Rev. R. L. Jones, pastor, gave the opening prayer, Rev. Percy Burt of the First Presbyterian church, Sioux City, read the Scripture, Rev. J. R. Euwema of the First Reformed church, Alton, followed with a prayer and Rev. Burt gave the concluding prayer. Mrs. W. H. Hospers and Mrs. G. J. Slobe of Orange City sang two appropriate songs accompanied by Mrs. Ralph Van Zyl, who also played an organ prelude and postlude. Rev. Jones had charge of services at the cemetery. Pallbearers were G. J. Slobe, Charles Hoeven, Ralph Van Zyl, C. W. Pitts, Wm. Kooreman, E. J. Kooreman.

Hundreds of friends from Alton, Orange City and neighboring towns were present at the services. Friends and relatives from a distance here included Dr. D. V. Gleysteen, Lamberton, Minn.; Mr. and Mrs. Albert Cropley, Mrs. B. A. Bowers, Mrs. Paxton, Mrs. Geo. Lawrence, Dr. and Mrs. Bolks, Mr. and Mrs. Robt. Beatty, all of Sioux City; Mr. and Mrs. Harper, Mr. and Mrs. Purdy, Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair, office associates of Atty. Gleysteen, and other members of his office personnel in Sioux City; Mrs. Guy Gleysteen, Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Hospers, Mr. and Mrs. Ted Eddington, all of Sheldon; Mr. Roy Buckingham, Ft. Dodge; Dr. Donahoe, Milford. Dr. F. J. Smith, old family friend, whose home adjoins the Gleysteen cottage on lake Okoboji, had planned to accompany Dr. Donahoe, but the snow drifts from the lake to Milford made the road impassable. The four grandsons who attend Grinnell college were here for the services.

Source: Alton Democrat, March 11, 1932.

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A brief notice of her death also appeared in the Alton Democrat of March 4. It stated that: Mrs. Gleysteen had been subject to severe heart attacks for a number of years but always before battled them successfully until this last illness from the effects of which she lapsed into a coma the first of the week, and the news of her passing, while a shock to her many hundreds of friends, was not unexpected.