Poland, Vera Vivian (Mrs. Spencer C.), 1895-1937

POLAND, VANDESTEEG, VANZEE

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

From the Sioux County Capital, January 14, 1937:

MRS. SPENCER POLAND

Mrs. Spencer Poland, 41, died Friday at 4 a.m., January 8, at her home in Milford, Iowa. Mrs. Poland was Vera Vivian Vande Steeg before her marriage and grew to young womanhood in Orange City. She was the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. G. L. Vande Steeg.

Surviving her are her husband and adopted daughter, Lois Maxine; one sister, Miss Evelyn Vande Steeg of Chicago; and a brother, Gerrit, of St. Louis. Her only son, an infant, died in 1923.

Mrs. Poland was taken seriously ill two years ago at which time she underwent an operation at a Sioux City hospital where she remained for several months. Her health was delicate and when she contracted pneumonia a week and a half ago, her condition became critical. Death was due to uremic poisoning.

Mrs. Poland was of a cheerful disposition despite her long illness and according to close friends never spoke of her health nor complained in any way. She belonged to the O.E.S.

Funeral services were held Monday at Milford in the Federated church with the Rev. Stoffard officiating. Burial was made at Spirit Lake, Ia.

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From the Alton Democrat, January 15, 1937, Orange City hospital news:

Mrs. Spencer Poland, nee Vivian Vande Steeg, passed away at her home at Milford at 4 o’clock on Friday morning, after being ill several days with pneumonia. Mrs. Poland had just reached her forty first birthday.

She was born in Orange City in 1896, and spent her girlhood here, attending the Northwestern Academy and later attending Drake University. She later taught at Milford and in 1920 was married to Spencer Poland, a pharmacist. She was a member of the Eastern Star Lodge, the Methodist Church and active in all club work.

She is survived by her widower, a daughter, Lois Maxine, six years of age, one sister, Miss Evelyn Vande Steeg of Chicago, Ill., and one brother, Gerrit of St. Louis, besides a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

Funeral services were held at the Federated Church on Monday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock, with members of her lodge and Rev. Stauffer officiating. Burial was made at Spirit Lake.

Relatives who were present at the last rites were: Mr. and Mrs. G. J. Slade, Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Vande Steeg, Dr. and Mrs. F. J. Vande Waa, Mr. and Mrs. B. Vande Waa, Mrs. George Haverkamp and Mrs. Guy Vanden Berg from Sioux City. Others who attended the funeral were: Mrs. J. Vander Brake, Mrs. Al Van Oort, Miss Florence Geselschaap and Mr. and Mrs. Will Hyink and Miss Gertrude Hansen from Alton.

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From the Milford Mail, January 14, 1937:

POPULAR MOTHER CALLED TO LAST REWARD FRIDAY
Mrs. S. C. Poland Passes Away After Long Illness

Mrs. S. C. Poland, one of the most universally admired young women in this community, passed away at 4 o’clock last Friday morning. Her death was due to pneumonia, although she had been ailing for almost three years. She was in a Sioux City hospital for several weeks at the outset of her illness and later suffered bad spells at her home. At other times, however, she was able to be up and around. During the Christmas season, she was downtown rather frequently and appeared to be getting along very nicely. She became ill after Christmas.

Mrs. Poland was one of the kindest and most unselfish women in the community. Everyone loved her for her gentleness and devotion to duty. She was a truly great lady.

The funeral services were held at 2:30 o’clock Monday afternoon in the Federated church with the Rev. Wayne Stauffer officiating. Burial was in the Spirit Lake cemetery, where her little son is buried. The pall bearers were Ray Depue, Roy Snorf, Ray LaFoy, R. S. Davis, M. Donahoe and L. B. Moreland.

A large number of people were here for the services. The mourners included most of the people of the community, besides a large number of friends from Orange City, Mrs. Poland’s former home, Spirit Lake and other communities. The business places in Milford were closed.

The obituary below was written by E. E. Heldridge, a close friend of the family. The obituary follows:

Again the Death Angel has visited a Milford home and taken from it its dearest jewel—a good wife and mother. Mrs. S. C. Poland passed away at her home Friday morning, at four o’clock.

Words seem of little avail in an effort to pay just tribute to this splendid Christian woman. To know her was to love her, for she was the embodiment of all those lovely virtues that make a life such as hers shine with fervent light long after the dear body has been laid away in its eternal bed. The deep religious fervor of her Holland ancestry actuated all her life in the home, in her work as a teacher and in society. She was lovely in face and character and her charming personality made her a general favorite in the community. Her span of life was short, a little more than two score years, but the world will be much better for her having lived. Her ideals were of the highest and she strove in everyday life to make them living actualities. As wife, mother, neighbor and friend she was all she strived to be, and all these “shall rise up and call her blessed.” For nearly three years she was a semi-invalid, but bore her affliction with true Christian fortitude, until God, in His infinite wisdom, saw fit to take her to be with Him in that better, better land, where there is no pain or sorrow, but eternal light and joy.

Vivian Van de Steeg, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Van de Steeg, both now deceased, was born at Orange City, Iowa, May 13, 1895, and passed away at her home in Milford, Iowa, Jan. 8, 1937, at the age of 41 years, seven months and 26 days.

She was educated at Orange City academy and at Drake University at Des Moines, where she took a course in primary training. Her home was at Orange City until she came to Milford in 1919, as teacher in primary grades of the Milford schools. She taught here for one year and on June 17, 1920, was united in marriage to Spencer C. Poland, at Orange City, Iowa. Her home since then has been in Milford.

She leaves to mourn her untimely passing her husband, a little daughter, Lois Maxine, a brother, G. J. Van de Steeg and family of St. Louis, Mo., a sister, Miss Evelyn Van de Steeg, of Chicago, her father-in-law, W. S. Poland, who made his home with the family, and a sister-in-law, Mrs. Wilma Poland Booth, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. A son, Spencer Edward, preceded her in death. She was a member of the Milford Federated church, the church guild, the Women’s club, the Legion auxiliary, the N. S. club, the Birthday club, and the Order of the Eastern Star, of which she was a past matron.

[Followed by a list of out of town relatives and friends attending the funeral.]

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RESEARCH NOTES

Her death certificate gives her full name, Vera Vivian Vande Steeg Poland, wife of Spencer C. Poland; born May 13, 1895 in Orange City, Iowa; parents G. L. Vande Steeg and Ellen Van Zee, both born in Pella; a resident of Milford for 16 years, 6 months; died at 4:05 a.m. January 8, 1937; cause, uremia superimposed on influenzal pneumonia, onset January 2, 1937. No longer-term illness is mentioned; an annotation on the certificate says “(over)”, but the back side is not available online.

Her husband died a few weeks later from injuries suffered in an automobile accident (Milford Mail, February 25, 1937).