Wesselink, Harvard, 1911-1937

WESSELINK, BONTHUIS, VERPLOEG

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

Born 27 Jan 1911
Died 19 Sep 1937

From the Sioux Center News September 23, 1937:

YOUNG ROCK VALLEY BUSINESS MAN DIES

Harvard Wesselink, 26, died at his home in Rock Valley early Monday following 18 months sickness with an obscure blood disease. Mr. Wesselink was formerly employed in the Valley Lumber yard until illness forced his retirement from active work. Last spring and early summer he spent ten weeks under observation and treatment at the University hospital at Iowa City but came home some weeks ago apparently improved. A slight cold which developed into flu a week ago was the indirect cause of his death.

Funeral services were held at the home which were followed by services in the First Reformed church at Rock Valley. The Rev. Aberson had charge of the services. The remains were taken to Carmel where they were interred in the family lot in the Carmel cemetery.

Deceased was born at Carmel, Ia. 26 years ago last January 27. Five years ago he was united in marriage with Miss Dorothy Bonthuis who with a four year old daughter survives him. Other survivors are his mother, Mrs. H. B. Wesselink, three sisters, Mrs. Henry Sandbulte, Mrs. William Sandbulte and Mrs. William Rozeboom, and two brothers, Dick and Harold, both of Rock Valley.

Folks from Sioux Center motoring over to attend the last rites were: Dr. Neal Jongewaard, Mrs. Louis Redeker, Mr. and Mrs. G. De Mots, Mrs. R. C. Jongewaard and daughter Marie, Mrs. Peter Roy Bartels, Mrs. Ralph Bartels and Mrs. Neal Klein.

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From the Alton Democrat, October 1, 1937, Rock Valley news:

Harvard Wesselink

Funeral services for the late Harvard Wesselink were held Wednesday afternoon at the First Reformed church, conducted by Rev. H. J. Aberson of that church and Rev. J. A. Kettle of the Methodist church. Interment was at the family burial plot at Carmel.

Harvard Wesselink was born at Carmel, Ia., January 27, 1911, where the majority of his life was spent. He attended the Rock Valley high school, served as bookkeeper for the Rock Valley Lumber Co., but on account of failing health was obliged to resign last spring.

He was united in marriage to Miss Dorothy Bonthuis on December 28, 1932, who, with one little daughter, Lavonne, is left to mourn his passing. He leaves his mother, Mrs. Henrietta Wesselink, of Carmel, three sisters and two brothers—Mrs. Will Rozeboom, Mrs. Will Sandbulte, Mrs. Henry Sandbulte, Harold and Dick Wesselink, all of Rock Valley and vicinity.

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From the Sioux County Capital, September 23, 1937:

HARVARD WESSELINK

At Rock Valley Sunday evening occurred the death of Harvard Wesselink, 28. He was the son of the former supervisor H. Wesselink who also died of heart disease. Surviving are his wife and four year old daughter, his mother, his brothers Dick and Howard, and his sisters Mrs. W. Rozeboom (Josie), Mrs. J. Sandbulte (Minerva), and Mrs. William Sandbulte (Rebecca), all of the Carmel vicinity. [Followed by a brief paragraph on his funeral.]

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RESEARCH NOTES

The Rock Valley Bee, September 24, 1937, has an obituary, but the newspaper is badly fractured and much of the obit is missing.

There are two entries in the Sioux County Cemetery Index that appear to be him: Harvard J. Wesselink and Howard J. Wesselink (from WPA index), both with life dates 1911-1937 and both buried in the Carmel Cemetery, Carmel, Iowa. A brief note on his death in the Alton Democrat, September 24, 1936, Rock Valley news, also calls him Howard. No other sources refer to him as Howard; his 1925 Iowa state census entry is indexed on Ancestry.com as Howard, but in the actual census he is Harvard.

His death certificate gives his full name, Harvard James Wesselink, resident of Rock Valley 7 years; born January 27, 1911 in Carmel, Iowa; parents Henry B. Wesselink, born in Sioux Center, and Henrietta Ver Ploeg, born in Pella; wife Dorothy Bonthuis; occupation, bookkeeper, lumber yard, for 2 years, last worked June 1937; died at 10:50 p.m. September 19, 1937; cause, “Pulmonary Arteriolar Sclerosis,” onset 1934?; contributory cause, , “Influenza—gastrointestinal,” onset 9/18/37.

His FindaGrave page gives his parents as Henry Bernard Wesselink (1873-1933) and Henrietta Ver Ploeg Wesselink (1872-1945); 6 siblings listed; spouse Dorothy Bonthuis Kuyper (1912-1994, married Guysbert Kuyper in 1942). There is a photo of his and Dorothy’s joint headstone. It gives his death date as 26 Sep 1937, but this is contradicted by his death certificate.