Zwier, Winnie (Mrs. John) 1859-1938

ZWIER, SMIT, KLYNSMA, DE JONG

Posted By: Joleen Vande Kamp (email)
Date: 10/22/2005 at 16:50:30

Mrs. Winnie Zwier
Wife of John Zwier
Born February 10, 1859
Died August 10, 1938
Funeral Services
Christian Reformed Church of Hospers Iowa
Aug. 13, 1938 Rev. J.H. Geerlings officiating
Pallbearers;
James Zwier Sam Smit
Fritz Poppema George Smit
John Klynsma
Joe Smit
Honorary Pallbearers
Frank Klynsma
William Smit

Winnie De Jong was born in Opperdoes, the Netherlands on February 10, 1859.
She died at Hospers, Iowa August 10, 1938, being
79 years and 6 months old. Death came as a relief from a lingering illess at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. James Smit where she was given all the loving care possible.
Orphaned at the age of 10, she made her home with an aunt.
When 18 years old, she married John Zwier, a man of much character and enterprise.
In 1890 the family emigrated to the United states, locating at Alamosa, Colorado, together with a number of other families from the Netherlands. Conditions had been greatly exagerated and misrepresented and after a few months of intense suffering, the colony disbanded, many being helped to homes in Sioux County. The Zwier family moved to a farm near Maxwell, New Mexico. Here they lived for 16 years.
In 1908, Mr. Zwier died leaving Mrs Zwier with 6 children.
From 1908-1918 she lived in Denver, Colorado from where she moved to Orange City, where she lived for 6 years. Later she lived at Grand Rapids, Mich. and chicago. During the last 8 years she made her home with her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Smit of near Hospers.
Of Mrs. Zwier's 6 children, 4 are left to mourn the lost of a loving, kind, and courageous mother:
Rev. D Zwier of Holland, Mich.,Mrs.JJ Smit, and Simon of Hospers, ane Effa Zwier of Ann Arbor, Mich.
In 1927 her daughter, Jennie, preceeded her in death and in 1928 she lost her youngest son, Peter, in a tragic accident in Denver, Colo.
Her grandchildren are: Frank Klynsma and John Zwier of Denver, Colo.; John Klynsma, Jennie, Fannie, and George Smit of Hospers;Mrs. Garry Joldersma, James, and Donald Zwier of Holland, Mich.; Paul, Johanna and Peter, Marilyn and Garcia Zwier (double twins) of Grand Rapids, Mich.
and Mrs. Fritz Poppema of Sheldon.
In the early years of her marriage, her life was rendered varied and colorful because of the enegetic pioneering spirit of her husband but neither could one locality bind her as a widow. She followed her children and lived wherever they lived. Thus she was well educated in the school of life.