Schouten, Kathryn (Mrs. Elmer J.), 1913-1937

SCHOUTEN, VANDERWAA, VANDEWAA, MOELLER, HOUWERS

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:38

Born: April 2, 1913, South Dakota
Died: January 5, 1937, Carroll, Iowa

From the Hawarden Independent, January 14, 1937, news of Ireton and vicinity:

Death Follows Operation

Mrs. Elmer Schouten of Rock Valley died Tuesday, Jan. 5th, in St. Anthony's hospital at Carroll following an operation for cancer. She withstood the operation well and was seemingly recovering when she took a turn for the worse and grew weaker gradually until death claimed her. Her remains were brought to Rock Valley and funeral services were held at the First Reformed church at 2 o’clock last Friday afternoon.

Mrs. Schouten was born in South Dakota April 2, 1913, so was not yet 24 years of age. Her mother died when she was eighteen months old and she was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. P. Moeller of near Doon, Mrs. Moeller being a sister of her mother. She was united in marriage with Elmer J. Schouten of Rock Valley and all her married life was spent there. Besides her husband she leaves a baby daughter, Mary Joan, her father, G. Vander Waa of Orange City, two brothers, Henry and Gerrit, and a half brother, Fred, at home with his father, and her parents by adoption, Mr. and Mrs. P. Moeller.

Elmer Schouten is well known in Ireton as he lived here with his parents for some years and his many friends here extend sympathy.

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From the Alton Democrat, January 15, 1937, Rock Valley news:

Mrs. Elmer Schouten

Kathryn, wife of Elmer Schouten, passed away at St. Anthony’s hospital at Carroll, Iowa, at five o’clock Tuesday afternoon January 5. She was taken to Carroll last week Thursday where she submitted to an operation for cancer. She withstood the operation and seemed to be getting along as well as could be expected when a change for the worse took place Monday and from that time she failed gradually until the final summons came.

Kathryn Vander Waa was born at Clear Lake, S.D., April 2, 1913. At the age of eighteen months her mother died of the same disease and Kathryn was taken by a sister of her mother, Mrs. P. W. Moeller, with whom she grew up near Doon, Iowa. She was united in marriage to Elmer Schouten at Hartington, Neb., August 4, 1933, and to this union was born one little daughter, Mary Joan, twenty-seven months old. The young couple joined the Methodist church during the pastorage of Rev. G. A. Tyler shortly after their marriage.

Besides her husband Elmer Schouten, she leaves the baby daughter Mary Joan; her father, G. Vander Waa of Orange City; two brothers, Henry and Gerrit and a half-brother Fred at home with his father; and her parents by adoption, Mr. and Mrs. P. W. Moeller of Doon.

Funeral services were held Friday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock at the William Schouten home and at 2:00 o’clock at the First Reformed church, conducted by Rev. J. Aberson, pastor of the First Reformed church here and by Rev. J. A. Kettle of the local Methodist church. Two request numbers “Follow the Gleam” were sung by Mrs. James Vander Ploeg and Mrs. Frank Gunnink; and a duet “Blest Be The Tie That” by the following quartet—Dick Roelofs, Mrs. Frank Gunnink, Mrs. James Vander Ploeg and Alden R. Eggleston. Interment was at Valley View cemetery. Many beautiful floral tributes marked the esteem in which Mrs. Schouten was held. Funeral was largely attended.

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RESEARCH NOTES

Similar obituaries were also published in the Sioux County Capital (January 14) and the Ireton Ledger (January 14). The Rock Valley Bee is missing for this time period. The Sioux County Capital obit says she had been ill for some time although she also seemed cheerful and happy; and gives her brothers as Henry and Alfred Vande Waa of Orange City and Sgt. Gerrit Vande Waa of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

The Sioux County Cemetery Index has Schouten, Kathryn, b. 1913, d. 1937, mother, Valley View Cemetery, Rock Valley IA. Most of the entries in the index for people with her birth name spell it Vande Waa.

Her death certificate gives her name as Kathryn Mae Schouten and adds her parents, Gerrit J. Van de Waa, born at Orange City, and Johanna Houwers, born at Alton; died at 5:10 p.m. January 5, 1937; cause, shock; contributory cause, removal of cancer of sigmoid.