Hensman Ubbe SMIDT

SMIDT, BETTEN, OLMSTEAD, GIERMANN, SHEVLIN, MEYER, BONNEMA, SHIPP, WUNDER, STOCK, ALLEN, BUTSON

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/13/2009 at 10:49:10

KANAWHA, IA - Hensman U. Smidt, 92, of Kanawha, passed away on Saturday (May 9, 2009) at the Kanawha Community Home. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 13, at the Kanawha Christian Reformed Church with Pastor Steve Schulz officiating. Burial will be in Amsterdam Township Cemetery near Kanawha. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. today at Ewing Funeral Home, 118 E. Second St., Kanawha, and continue one hour prior to services at the church.

Hensman Ubbe Smidt was born on Oct. 22, 1916, the son of Ubbe and Annie (Betten) Smidt. He grew up in the "horse and buggy" days, receiving his education in country school northeast of Kanawha. On Feb. 20, 1943, he was united in marriage with Ardella Mae Olmstead in her parents' home in Shell Rock, Iowa. To this union five children were born. They lived on the family farm until 1994, when they moved to Kanawha. Hensman was a lifetime member of the Kanawha Christian Reformed Church. During this time he spent many years as Sunday school superintendent and was a council member. He was an avid John Deere tractor fan and a member of the Hancock County Pork Producers. He enjoyed weighing in livestock for fair and helping pick out poultry to show. Picnics during vacations are happy memories for many relatives and friends. He also enjoyed playing Wahoo, Uno, and Domines and trouncing his grandsons in Monopoly at Thanksgiving. Visits by his great-grandchildren brought a special sparkle to his eyes.

Hensman is survived by four children: son Delbert and wife Patricia of Stafford, Va., and their three children: Michelle (Wayne) Giermann of Bloomington, Ill., Veronica (Keith) Shevlin of Evans, Ga., Eric (Wendy) Smidt of San Diego, Calif.; daughter Donna and husband Larry Meyer of Beaver Dam, Wis., and their five children: Kari (Chad) Bonnema of Grand Haven, Mich., Timothy (Kate) Meyer of Atsugi, Japan, Sandra Meyer of Holland, Mich., David (Elizabeth) Meyer of Chandler, Ariz., Amy Meyer of Beaver Dam, Wis.; daughter Darlene and husband Rocky Shipp of Waverly, and their two children: Elliott (Ashley) Shipp of Council Bluffs, Scott (Amanda) Shipp of Dixon, Ill.; son Dean and wife Karla Smidt of Kanawha, and their six children: Andrea Smidt, Tracy Smidt, Brenda (Gregg) Wunder, Andrew Smidt, Kathleen Smidt, Rebecca Smidt, all of Kanawha; and ten great-grandchildren with two more on the way. Also surviving is one sister, Anna and husband Robert Stock of Sheffield, brother-in-law Mensloe Olmstead and sister-in-law Lovina Allen both of Shell Rock, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Ardella, son Duane Hensman, great-granddaughter Jordan Abigail Smidt and sister Lena and husband Vernon Butson of Hampton, Iowa. Ewing Funeral Home, 118 E. Second St., Kanawha, Iowa 50447;

Mason City Globe Gazette, Iowa
May 12, 2009