John A. EEKHOFF

EEKHOFF, RINDELS, BENINGA, RUTER, WALTON, NEDERHOFF, VANDEN BOSCH, BAKKER, CHRISTIANS, ROZENBOOM, BEUKEMA, DEPOORTER, SWANK VERBRUGGE, REITEMA, ASSINK, ROSKAMP, WILLIAMSEN, BROUWER, VAN DER PLOEG, LUPPEN, COOPER, SPROAT, DEBERG, ALBERTS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/19/2009 at 10:26:28

The Grundy Register, Iowa
July 12, 1945

Funeral services were held last Thursday afternoon at the home in Wellsburg and later at the First Christian Reformed church of Wellsburg for John Eekhoff who passed away last Sunday evening. The services wee in charge of Rev. John H. Rubingh, who based his message on Gen. 5:24, "Enoch walked with God: and he was not: for the Lord took him." Two appropriate hymns were sung by Misses Bernice Primus and Lillian Ellen, accompanied on the piano by Mrs. Arthur Cooper. The casketbearers were Harvey Vahlsing, Andrew Murra, William Bakker, Ben P. Riekena, Jerry Williams and Ben Eiten. Mrs. Ben P. Riekena and Mrs. Harvey J. Vahlsing were flower attendants. Interment was in First Christian Reformed cemetery west of Wellsburg.

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John A. Eekhoff was born in the vicinity of Freeport, Ind. Dec. 6, 1876. He was the son of George Eekhoff and Mrs. George Rindels Eekhoff. In early childhood he moved with his parents to South Dakota and later to Wright county, Iowa. there he spent 35 years of his life. In February 1902 he was joined in wedlock to Miss Tene Beninga. They spent some 16 years together and their family life was blessed with two sons and three daughters. Yet these days were not without sorrow for the Lord took from his side the wife of his early manhood in the flu epidemic of 1918. Mr. Eekhoff came to make his home in the vicinity of Wellsburg in the fall of the year 1927. On December 27, 1927 he was married to Mrs. Pearl Nederhoff of this community. for a number of years they made their home on a farm west of Wellsburg and later in the year 1937 he and his wife moved to the village where he lived till the time of his death.

Mr. Eekhoff passed away Sunday evening, July 1. He had passed the 68th milepost of his life by 6 months and 25 days. Far into the eventide of life the Lord gave him health and strength. On Saturday, June 16, the brother was stricken with a severe heart attack from which he did not recover. The strength and vigor of life ebbed. Patiently and with quiet resignation he submitted himself to the Lord's will. Mr. Eekhoff was a respected member of the community. His life was marked by humble service in the Lord's work. For many years he served as an officebearer in the Wright Chr. Reformed church and in later years when a resident of this community he served as elder of the local congregation of which he was a member. In his heart was love for the ways of Zion whose welfare he sought and cherished.

The loved ones who mourn his passing are: his wife, Mrs. John A. Eekhoff, his children, Mrs. Boyd Ruter of Kanawha; Miss Tillie Eekhoff and George Eekhoff of Wellsburg; Mrs. Orval Walton of Whitten and Herman Eekhoff of Wellsburg, and his stepsons, Orlie H., Peter H. and Carl J. Nederhoff. Two brothers and his parents preceded him in death. Other surviving relatives are one brother, Harm Eekhoff of Edgerton, Minn., and six sisters; Mrs. Henry Vanden Bosch, Mrs. Peter Vanden Bosch, Mrs. Ben Bakker, Mrs. Chris Christians, and Mrs. John Rozenboom, all of Edgerton, Minn.; and Mrs. M. Beukema of Sexton, Iowa. Besides these there are 9 grandchildren and 7 step-grandchildren who lovingly remember him today.

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Many Relatives at Service

The following were in attendance at the funeral: Mr. and Mrs. Henry Vanden Bosch, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Bakker, Mr. and Mrs. Chris Christians, Harm Eekhoff, Mrs. Peter DePoorter, Mr. George Christians of Edgerton, Minn.; Arnold Christians of Britt, Iowa; Mrs. Mike Beukema of Sexton, Iowa; Mrs. Pete Eekhoff, Mr. and Mrs. Adrian Rogendool, Mr. and Mrs. Marion Swank, of Sully, Ia.; Mrs. Jake Eekhoff, Edd, John and Jennie, Mr. and Mrs. George Eekhoff, Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Eekhoff, Harold, John, Ada, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Boyd Eekhoff, Mr. and Mrs. Nick Christians and Herman, Mr. and Mrs. Edd Christians, Mr. and Mrs. Heis Verbrugge, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Assink, Mr. and Mrs. Art Reitema Sr., Mr. and Mrs. John Reitema, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Reitema, Mr. and Mrs. Art Reitema Jr., Ben Ruter, Heiko, John, Bertha, Mr. and Mrs. Hammond Ruter, Mr. and Mrs. Pete Ruter, Mr. and Mrs. Boyd Ruter and Johnny, and Byron, Mr. and Mrs. George Roskamp, Will Williamsen, and Wiert, Bert Brouwer and Wiert, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Van der Ploeg and Irene, Mr. and Mrs. Anco Bakker and son, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Luppen, all of Kanawha, Iowa; John Reikens, Kanawha; Mrs. John Cooper of Woden; Mr. and Mrs. Anco Janssen, Marshalltown; Mr. and Mrs. John Roskamp, Cedar Falls; Rev. and Mrs. Peter Eekhoff, Ackley; Edd Sproat, Iowa Falls; Mr. and Mrs. Chas. DeBerg and Herman, Mr. and Mrs. George Alberts, Mrs. Grace Bakker and Louis, Herman Beninga, Harlan and ernard (sic), Mrs. Joe Ellers, Mrs. Glen Alberts, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Graves, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Cirksena, Mr. and Mrs. John Bakker, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Bakker, all of Dike; Mr. and Mrs. Walter H. Bakker, Mr. and Mrs. Dick Dieken, Mrs. Elgin Venenga, all of Grundy Center, and many other friends and relatives.

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Card of Thanks

We desire to express our sincere appreciation to the friends, relatives and neighbors during the illness and when death called our beloved one; also to Rev. Rubingh for his message of comfort and to those who furnished the music and for the many floral offerings and to those who kindly furnished cars - Mrs. John A. Eekhoff, Mr. and Mrs. Boyd Ruter, Miss Tillie Eekhoff, Mr. and Mrs. George Eekhoff, Mr. and Mrs. Orval Walton, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Eekhoff, Mr. and Mrs. Odie H. Nederhoff, Mr. and Mrs. Carl J. Nederhoff.