Pike Township Family Stories
JACK AND HELENE SALEMINK FAMILY
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, pages 302-304
By Helene SaleminkJack Salemink, the oldest son of Harry Salemink and Bernice Kremer Salemink, lives two and a half miles west of Nichols.
Harry Salemink’s mother, Antonia, was born in Holland. Harry met Bernice at Olivia, Minnesota, where he had gone to work as a harvest hand during the grain threshing season.
Jack has one brother, Eugene Salemink, and one sister, Phyllis Salemink. All three attended Wild Rose school and graduated from Nichols High school. Jack and gene were active in 4-H livestock projects.
Jack Salemink attended Iowa State college at Ames, Iowa, for two years. He and Helene Porter, daughter of James D. Porter and Lottie DeVault Porter, were married. Jack was driving a bus for the Nichols school at that time, and Helene was working for Brugman Grocery.
They started farming on the Tom Dean farm south of Nichols, but Jack was drafted and sent to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, for basic training. Helene joined him for a time, and they lived in Rollo, Missouri. Jack was sent to France via Camp Carson, Colorado, Oakland, California and the Panama Canal – a three-week boat trip. He was at Orleans, France.
After separation from the service, Jack worked at the Nichols Elevator that fall, and then started working for Louisa Farm service at Columbus Junction, working there for six years. They moved to the Hiebing farm west of Nichols. Later the family made another move to the Barney Milder farm across the road from Jack’s mother. They still reside there with Steve Salemink [1984].
Along with their general farming and livestock operation, they also operate a retail seed corn and soybean seed business. Helene also drives a bus for the West Liberty Community schools. Their children are all graduated from West Liberty High school.
Jack served eight years at Nichols and nine years at West Liberty on the school board. He was a 4-H leader for ten years. He is a member of the West Liberty Lions club. He has also been a board member of the West Liberty Fair for the past six years, and a member of the Muscatine county Pork Producers, having served as president for several years.
Rhonda Anne Salemink, daughter of Jack and Helene, graduated from West Liberty High school and attended the University of Northern Iowa and Iowa State university, majoring in interior design. She is married to Keith Staley, son of Harvey Staley and Norma Staley from Atalissa, Iowa. At that time Keith was in the U. S. Air Force, stationed at Las Vegas, Nevada. They lived in Nevada and California for nine years before moving to Edina, Minnesota. Keith attended mortician school and is a funeral director in Edina, Minnesota. Rhonda is an interior decorator at Gabbortts in Edina, Minnesota.
Steven John Salemink, son of Jack and Helene, graduated from West Liberty High school and Muscatine Community college, majoring in farm management. He farms with his Dad and rents from Nichols-Meacham. He purchased sixty acres of ground from the Hiebing estate.
Regina Kae Salemink, daughter of Jack and Helene, graduated from West Liberty High school. Following graduation, she was a Rotary exchange student in Falsterbe, Sweden, for one year. She attended Iowa State university and graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with an English-Spanish major. She married David Schantz of Washington, Iowa. He is vocational agriculture teacher, teaching his first three years at Preston, Iowa, where he accepted a Voc. Ag. position. Regina also teaches Spanish in the Van Horne school.
Reeta Sue Salemink, daughter of Jack and Helene, graduated from West Liberty High school and attended Northeast Missouri university at Kirksville, Missouri, for three years, majoring in business. She lives in West Liberty and works for the Louis Rich company there.
Renetta Lea Salemink, daughter of Jack and Helene, graduated from West Liberty High school. She also attended Muscatine Community college the last semester of her high school career. This was part time, and she earned seven college credits in this way. She is in her second year at The University of Iowa in Iowa City, majoring in English and communications [1984].
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Page created December 18, 2010 by Lynn McCleary