BALLENSKY, Rev. John G.: Died 1985

BALLENSKY, FRANCKE, VITTETOE, HEDGES, HRADEK, SMITH, MINDT

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 2/28/2022 at 19:36:24

***Handwritten: VB 7 Feb 1985

Rev. John Ballensky

SIGOURNEY - The Rev. John G. Ballensky, 92, of Sigourney died Jan. 27, 1985, at the Sigourney Care Center.

He was born Dec. 27, 1892, at Worms, Russia (Ukraine) to Jacob and Katherina Francke Ballensky. At the age of 11 he and his family emigrated to the United States, where they homesteaded in the Bismarck, N.D., area. He attended the Redfield Business College. He served in the Rainbow Division during World War I, seeing active duty in the front as a stretcher bearer and an interpreter for German prisoners.

After the war, he moved to Sigourney, entered into business and was ordained a Christian Business Men of Fairfield, Christian Farmers of the vicinity, Lacey Kerr American Legion Post and Pioneer Barracks. His business interests included Ben Franklin stores in Sigourney and Knoxville, farms in in the Delta, Libertyville and Fairfield areas and the Corner Drug in Sigourney.

He married Estella Vittetoe on June 12, 1921, at Washington. She died in 1966. He later married Rachel B. Hedges of Hedrick.

He is survived by his wife; a daughter, Mary Catherine Hradek of Ollie; a son, John I. of Sigourney; a stepson, John I. of Sigourney; a stepson, The Rev. Robert B. Hedges of Texas; a stepdaughter, Barbara E. Smith of Ottumwa; a sister, Sophia Mindt of Washington state; and six grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

The service was held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31, 1985, at the United Methodist Church in Sigourney, the rev. Gary Dobbins officiating. Burial was in Pennington Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Sigourney, Christian Church, Sigourney Methodist Church and Ollie Methodist Church in the form of a scholarship for a ministerial student.

The Reynolds Funeral Chapel at Sigourney was in charge of arrangements.
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**Handwritten: LR 7 Feb 1985

REV. JOHN G. BALLENSKY

The Rev. John G. Ballensky, 92, former pastor of the Keosauqua Christian Church, died January 27 at the Sigourney Care Center.

He was born December 27, 1892 at Worms, Russia in the Ukraine to Jacob and Katherina Francke Ballensky. At the age of 11 he and his family emigrated to the United States where they homesteaded in the Bismarck, North Dakota area.

He attended Redfield Business College and served in the Rainbow Division during World War I, seeing active duty in the front as a stretcher bearer and an interpreter for German prisoners.

Following the war, he moved to Sigourney and entered into business. He was ordained a Christian Church minister in 1932 for German-speaking churches. He served churches in Hayesville, Keenersburg, Delta, Rose Hill, Richland, Keosauqua and Sigourney.

He belonged to the Christian Business Men of Fairfield, Christian Farmers, Lacey Kerr American Legion Post and Pioneer Barracks. His business interests included Ben Franklin stores in Sigourney and Knoxville, farms in the Delta, Libertyville and Fairfield areas and the Corner Drug in Sigourney.

He married Estella Vittetoe June 12, 1921 at Washington. She died in 1966. He later married Rachel B. Hedges of Hedrick.

He is survived by his wife; a daughter, Mary Catherine Hradek of Ollie; a son, John I. of Sigourney; a stepson, the Rev. Bob Hedges of Texas; a stepdaughter, Barbara E. Smith of Ottumwa; a sister, Sophia Mindt of Washington state; six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

The funeral was held January 31, 1985 at the United Methodist Church in Sigourney with burial in Pennington Cemetery. Memorials were established at the Sigourney Christian Church, Sigourney United Methodist Church and Ollie Methodist Church in the form of a scholarship for a ministerial student. Reynolds Funeral Chapel at Sigourney was in charge.

Source: "Scrapbook 1981 - 1985", Pg. 221,
Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, Van Buren Co., IA