Dirks, Johanna (Mrs. Harm) 1854-1923

DIRKS, BRANDS

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:35

Dirks, Johanna Mrs Harm born Dec 23, 1854 died Dec 5, 1923 Lutheran cemetery Ireton IA.

Hawarden Independent of Dec 13, 1923

Mrs. Harm Dirks passed away at her home in Ireton Wednesday evening, Dec 5th from a lingering illness from cancer. During the eleven months that she was bedfast she suffered a great deal but was ever a patient sufferer. Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon at the Lutheran church conducted by Rev. J. e. Rich Schmidt and interment was made in the Lutheran cemetery.

Johanna Marie Brands was born Dec 23, 1854 in St. Louis MO and died at Ireton Dec 5th 1923, and so had reached the advanced age of 68 years, 11 months and 13 days. Her mother died while she was still an infant. Her father then moved to Nokomis IL with. At Mt. Olive IL, she received her religious training preparatory to confirmation and was later confirmed in the Lutheran faith.

In 1874 she was untied in marriage with Harm Dirks at Le Mars IA. This union was blessed with eleven children, nine sons and two daughters, one son dying in infancy and a second son in the spring of this year.

After farming for four years near Le Mars, they moved back to IL where they farmed for nine years, and then again returned to Iowa, making their home in Sioux County. For nineteen years they lived on their farm, five miles southwest of Ireton. They then left the farm and moved into Ireton where she has lived ever since.

In the fall of 1921 her husband was seized with a serious malady to which he succumbed just preceding the Holidays of that year. Mrs. Dirks was not a strong woman physically and when still living on the farm she was bedfast continuously for three months, Suffering from a nervous breakdown She attended church on New Years Day of this year for the last time and since that time she has been under the care of a physician continuously and although she received the best of care, her own daughter, Mrs. Maggie Oltmanns, being with her a greater part of the time, the Lord made an end of her trials and sufferings last Wednesday evening.

She leaves to mourn her departure seven sons, Albert, Henry, Herman, Richard, William and Fred Dirks of Ireton and George Dirks of Madison, S. D., and two daughters, Mrs. Maggie Oltmanns and Mrs. Rekka Busch, both of Madison, S. D.

In the passing away of Mrs. Dirks another of the old settlers of this vicinity has gone. Mr. and Mrs. Dirks came here when this part of the country was sparsely settled and they endured many hardships in the early days. She was ever a faithful Christian and church worker and will be greatly missed in this circle. Sincere sympathy is extended to the children in their great loss.