Bert HEYKANTS

HEYKANTS, DORENKAMP

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/19/2007 at 21:47:18

BELMOND -- Bert Heykants, 86, of rural Belmond, died Sunday (Aug. 17, 1997) at his home. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at Immanuel Reformed Church, with the Rev. Robert Ford officiating. Interment will be in the Immanuel Reformed Church Cemetery. Visitation will continue today one hour prior to services at the church. Tenold Funeral Home, is in charge of arrangements.

Bert Heykants, the son of Mr. And Mrs. Peter Heykants, was born Aug. 19, 1910, in Lehr, Ostfriesland, Germany. He received his education there, learning the blacksmith trade. Under the sponsorship of the late Rev. O.G. Poppen, who was the pastor of Immanuel Reformed Church, he emigrated to America at the age of 18. Upon the advice of the Rev. Poppen, he worked as a hired hand for the farmers in the area. This was in 1929, when farming was just becoming mechanized so horses were fast fading from the picture. Bert was united in marriage to Martha Dorenkamp on Feb. 26, 1938, at the Immanuel Church Parsonage and he and Martha started farming in the Alexander area. In 1949, they purchased their present farm and moved there. To this union, one son, Ronald was born. Bert and Martha were retired from farming, but continued to live on the farm, where Bert died on Sunday, Aug. 17, 1997.

He is survived by his wife, Martha; grandchildren, Kristi Heykants, of St. Paul, Minn., and Blaine Heykants, of Iowa City; a brother, Peter Heykants, in Germany; and many nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death were his parents; son, Ronald in 1992; two sisters; and three brothers.

August 19, 1997
Mason City (Iowa) Globe Gazette