Vugteveen, Freda (Mrs. Gerrit), 1906-1936

VUGTEVEEN, JOHNSON, MEYER

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:37

From the Rock Valley Bee, May 15, 1936:

DEATH OF MRS. G. VUGTEVEEN

Mrs. Gerrit Vugteveen passed away at the University hospital in Iowa City, Friday morning, following a lingering illness. She had not been well for several months and was finally taken to the Iowa City hospital a few weeks ago in hopes that she might regain her health. Her relatives and friends did not realize that the end was so near, and her death is a great shock to them.

Freda Johnson was born at Milaca, Minn., January 26, 1906. She was united in marriage with Gerrit Vugteveen, of Rock Valley, on January 4, 1924.

She leaves to mourn her death, her husband, Gerrit Vugteveen, and four children, Elaine, 11; Rodney, 7; Delores, 3; and Donna, 20 months old. She also leaves her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Z. Johnson, 2 sisters, Mrs. Edwin Quinn and Dorothy Johnson, and one brother, Albert Johnson, all of Milaca, Minn.

Her health had been failing for some time, though not realizing the end was so near. On the morning of May 8, 1936, death came to relieve her suffering, and she passed on to her eternal home, at the age of 30 years, 3 months and 12 days.

Funeral services were held in the Methodist church in Rock Valley, Monday. Interment was made in the Valley View Cemetery. Those from a distance who attended the funeral services were her parents, 2 sisters and brother of Milaca, Minn.; and Mr. and Mrs. Ed Vugteveen, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Timmer and Mrs. Fritz Greenfield, of Pease, Minn.

[The Card of Thanks that follows includes special mention of Mrs. V. D. Berrier and Mrs. Owen Manning for their singing and Rev. Hunsley for his kind words.]

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Her death certificate gives her birth date as January 26, 1906 in Milaca, Minn.; parents Fred Z. Johnson, born in South Dakota, and Emma Meyer, born in Nebraska; husband, Gerrit Vugteveen; died in the State Hospital, Iowa City, at 7:36 a.m. May 8, 1936; cause, “periodic paralysis?” duration 2 years. There was an autopsy, but no results are noted. A note on the certificate says “(over),” but the back side is not present with the digitized certificate. The informant, Gerrit Vugteveen, gives his residence as Alvord, Iowa. Her illegibly scrawled forename is indexed on Ancestry.com as “Treka.”

The spelling of her forename is confirmed on FindaGrave.com with a photo of her headstone.