Bos, Roelof Jr. “Roel,” 1873-1937

BOS, VANDERSTOEP, TEGROTENHUIS, ROOS, RHEEN

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

From the Sioux Center News, April 29, 1937:

R. BOS EXPIRES AT LE MARS HOSPITAL

Mr. R. Bos, aged resident of Hull, died at the Sacred Heart hospital at LeMars at 11 A.M. Wednesday morning. Mrs. Bernard Verhoef of this place is a stepdaughter of the deceased and with Mr. VerHoef motored to MeMars early Wednesday. Funeral arrangements have not been made at this writing.

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From the Sioux County Index (Hull), May 7, 1937:

The funeral of R. Bos, Jr., who died in a Le Mars hospital last week, was held last Saturday afternoon, May 1 at the home here and at the First Reformed Church, conducted by Rev. Douwstra, assisted by Rev. Roggen of Maurice. The remains were taken to Orange City for burial in the family lot.

Mr. Bos conducted Starretts store here for one year in 1931 and in 1932 he purchased the Cash and Carry Grocery, which he operated until his death.

OBITUARY

Roel Bos was born at Grand Rapids, Michigan, January 4, 1873. He moved with his parents to Orange City at an early age, and for several years clerked in his father’s store. In 1898 he started to work for Hospers Bros. and continued in their employ for eleven years. In 1909 he bought a general store at Monroe, South Dakota, which he discontinued in 1925.

Mr. Bos’ first wife, Nellie Vander Stoep, and two children, Andrew and Jennie (Mrs. John Wagner), preceded him in death. In 1922 he married Mrs. Mary Te Grotenhuis, nee Roos, and besides his widow he is survived by five children, three stepchildren and sixteen grandchildren.

The surviving children are: Lena, Mrs. Tom De Wane, Green Bay, Wisconsin; Roy, Martin, South Dakota; Tunis, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Herman, Charles City, Iowa; Lawrence, Cherokee, Iowa; Willard Te Grotenhuis, Rock Valley, Iowa; Alvina, Mrs. Bernard Ver Hoef, Sioux Center, Iowa; and Gerrit Te Grotenhuis, Hull, Iowa. He is also survived by two brothers and one sister: Peter Bos of Clear Lake, South Dakota; John Bos of Monroe, South Dakota; and Mrs. Tom Moir of Pierpont, South Dakota.

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From the Sioux Center News, May 6, 1937:

RUEL BOS OBITUARY

Mr. Ruel Bos was born in Grand Rapids on Jan. 4, 1873. During his early manhood his parents moved to Orange City where he was united in marriage to Nell Vander Stoep. 7 children were born to this union, two daughters and his wife preceding him in death. Surviving children are Mrs. Lena DeWane of Green Bay, Wis.; four sons, Roy of Martin, S.D., Teunis of Sioux Falls, Herman of Charles City and Lawrence of Cherokee, Iwa. Mr. Bos was married to Mrs. Mary Ten Grotenhuis in 1922 at Monroe, S.D. where he had conducted a general merchandise store for a number of years. Shortly after they came to Hull where Mr. Bos was collector for the Old Peoples Home in Sheldon. Subsequently he supervised the Starret Store in Hull, until five years ago, when he went into the grocery business for himself. Two months before his death he had just moved into a new building and was doing a fine business when he was taken sick. He spent four weeks in the hospital where death came to him on April 28th, 1937. Step children who survive Mr. Bos are Mr. and Mrs. Willard Ten Grotenhuis, Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Ver Hoef, Mrs. Gerrit Ten Grotenhuis, and six grand-children. Two brothers and one sister also survive the deceased.

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An obituary (in Dutch) in De Volksvriend, May 6, 1937, adds the following information:

Gives his name as Roelof Bos. He died of cancer of the liver. He came to Sioux County with his parents in 1890. After first working in his father’s store in Orange City, he worked in the store of Hospers Bros. and in that of Sluis & Sliekers. In 1910 he went to South Dakota, where he lived for about 15 years, and moved to Hull in 1925. Gives his first wife’s name as Peternelle Van der Stoep; she died in 1918.

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An obituary in the Alton Democrat, May 7, 1937, Hull news, calls him Roel Bos, adds that he married Nell Vander Stoep in 1897, and (rather awkwardly) describes his funeral:

The services were conducted by his pastor, Rev. Douwstra, assisted by his former pastor, Rev. Roggen now from Maurice. The congregation sang his favorite psalm, 72:13. Mr. Bos could sing so whole heartedly those psalms. Special music was a solo by Mrs. John Douma, “Wonderful Words of Life.” A duet by Anthony Kooiker and Tony Westra, “Sometime We’ll Understand.” The floral offerings were many and beautiful. Pallbearers were Jake Gorzeman, Dick Wissink, Will De Roos, Henry Van Engen, Nick Koele and Ben J. Meylink.

Those from a distance who attended the funeral were Mrs. Walter Nesse, Wellsburg, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Jake Schaap and daughter Marjorie; Mr. and Mrs. John Schaap from Austinville, Ia.; John Wagoner and son Donald and daughter Phylis, Marion, S.D.; and Mrs. John De Roos and Mr. and Mrs. Luden and children from Springfield, S.D.

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RESEARCH NOTES

His death certificate has him as Reolof [i.e., Roelof] Bos Jr., and adds his father, Reolof[sic] Bos Sr., mother’s name not known to the informant, Mary Bos; died in the Sacred Heart Hospital, Le Mars, at 12:30 p.m. April 28, 1937; cause, “carcinoma of liver and bile ducts possibly primary in pancreas”, onset 1936; contributory cause, obstructive jaundice, onset April 1, 1937; an exploratory operation was performed on April 20, 1937.

The Sioux County Cemetery Index has him as Bos, Roelof Jr., b. 1873, d. 25 Apr 1937, West Lawn Cemetery, Orange City IA. His FindaGrave.com page includes a photo of his headstone (which gives just his death year, not a day), and adds his wives’ life dates: Pieternella Vanderstoep Bos (1870-1918) and Mary Roos Bos (1881-1968).

The 1925 Iowa state census shows his parents as R. Bos and Engeltje[?] Rheen, both born in Holland.

His World War I draft registration card (September 1918, age 45) gives his name as Roelof Bos Jr., resident of Monroe, S.D., born January 3, 1873, a merchant working for himself, wife Peternellie Bos, medium height and build, brown eyes, dark hair.

His stepson, Gerrit TeGrotenhuis, died (suicide) a few days after Roelof’s death.