Pike Township Family Stories
BENJAMIN OOSTENDORP
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, pages 319-320
By Mary Oostendorp HanftBen Oostendorp, son of William Oostendorp and Kathryn Schlapkohl Oostendorp, was born 6 March 1890 in the Nichols area. He had one sister and three brothers, Margaret Oostendorp, William Oostendorp Jr., James Oostendorp and John Oostendorp. He married Hazel Mills 10 August 1910. They were parents of four children: Charles Oostendorp, Veryl Oostendorp, Mary Oostendorp and Robert Oostendorp. There are two grandchildren and one step-grandson.
Ben and his brother, John Oostendorp, operated a garage in Nichols until 1926. Then Ben and his family moved to a farm south of Nichols where they lived for about six years. They moved to another farm near by, where he lived until his death. He died at Mercy hospital in Iowa City on 21 March 1952 from a heart condition.
Ben did general farming, but he liked to raise melons. He hauled them to near by towns and cities to sell them, and would make several trips to northern Iowa, too.
Ben was a great sportsman. He loved to hunt and fish.
His wife, Hazel Mills, had twelve brothers and sisters. They also lived in the Nichols area, in what was then called Adams Station. Hazel was born 30 October 1892 and passed away 14 April 1973. She had a stroke in February 1973 from which she never recovered, and she died at the Hershey Convalescent home in Muscatine.
Ben and his family were members of St. Mary’s church of Nichols.
Charles Benjamin Oostendorp, the oldest son of Ben and Hazel Oostendorp, was born 17 January 1911 in Nichols and died on 17 July 1982 at Mercy hospital in Iowa City, following a lengthy illness.
He married Genevieve Hillyer Middagh at Kahoka, Missouri. His step-son is Robert Eugene Middagh.
Charles lived and farmed in the Nichols area all his life. He liked to hunt and fish, and in his early youth, he and his brother, Veryl Oostendorp, cut many cords of wood for their father on the farm. After his retirement from farming, he enjoyed raising and working in his large garden on his farm southeast of Nichols, where he lived until his death. Genevieve, his wife, worked many years at the Louis Rich plant in West Liberty. Robert Middagh is employed by Lanfier Plastering.
Veryl Bernard Oostendorp, son of Ben and Hazel Oostendorp, was born 24 November 1912 in Nichols and died 14 March 1931 at the home of his parents from pneumonia. He enjoyed hunting and fishing and helping with the farm work for his father.
Mary Loretta Oostendorp, daughter of Ben and Hazel Oostendorp, was born 6 November 1921 in Nichols. She married Richard Hanft on 12 June 1948 at St. Mary’s rectory in Nichols. They lived in Muscatine and Columbus Junction before moving to Nichols. Mary worked at Owens Brush company in Iowa City for 22 years and took early retirement from there. Richard retired from the fertilizer division of Amoco Oil company in Nichols. He was a veteran of World War II and served four years with the U. S. Army in the Pacific theater of the war. His hobbies are hunting and fishing, and he is a member of the Iowa Ornithologists’ Union.
Robert LeRoy Oostendorp, youngest child of Ben and Hazel Oostendorp, was born 26 December 196 at Nichols. He married Ruth Madson at St. Joseph’s rectory in Wilton, Iowa. They have two daughters, Deborah Sue Oostendorp and Teresa Lynn Oostendorp.
Bob and Ruth resided in Muscatine after they were married, and he was employed by the State Highway commission. Ruth owned and operated a beauty shop in their home.
They moved to Mesa, Arizona, where they reside. Bob works for Leppla Moving and Storing company, and Ruth is employed as an auditor at the Motorola plant in Mesa, Arizona. Deborah is office manager for a heart specialist in Mesa, and Teresa is a registered nurse, employed at Mesa Lutheran hospital. She is still recovering from a near-fatal car accident, but she is now [1984] able to work again at the hospital.
Bob’s hobbies are hunting and fishing. All the Oostendorp children attended school in and around Nichols.
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Page created December 26, 2010 by Lynn McCleary