Pike Township Family Stories
RAYMOND BEKKER FAMILY
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, page 215.
By Alberta Wieskamp BekkerRaymond Bekker was born 26 July 1912 on a farm north of Nichols to Gerrit Bernard Bekker and Theresa TeVoert Bekker. He had an older brother Bernard Bekker, an older sister Alice Bekker, a younger brother Edward Bekker and younger sisters, Agnes Bekker and Alberta Bekker.
In 1920 he moved with his family to a farm five miles northwest of Nichols. He attended Athens school and graduated from Nichols High school in 1929. Before and after graduation, he worked as a hired hand for area farmers, and then as a mechanic in a garage and gas station operated by Louis Chown and Robert Chown.
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor at the start of World War II, Raymond was drafted into the army. He served four years in the Pacific theater, seeing active duty in Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines and Okinawa before returning home in 1945. Raymond worked at Connell Motors in Muscatine then.
In 1946 he was married to Alberta Wieskamp at St. Mary’s church in Nichols. At that time Alberta was teaching in the Nichols Elementary school, after having taught previously in the rural Pike and Athens schools.
Alberta was born 24 May 1917 at Nichols. She received her early teacher training at Ottumwa Heights college, followed by summers attending University of Northern Iowa, and finally earning her degree from The University of Iowa.
Four children were born to them and grew up at the home at 121 McKinley in Nichols: James Bekker, Teresa Bekker, Jean Bekker and Virginia Bekker.
James Bekker is a veteran of the Vietnam War. He is a maintenance mechanic at Starkist in Muscatine. He is married to Robin Lockridge.
Teresa Bekker received her training in nursing from Mercy School of Nursing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She is a family nurse practitioner and lives in Plainview, Texas.
Jean Bekker attended the University of Northern Iowa at Cedar Falls and married Dennis Smith of West Liberty. The Smiths have three sons, Jeffrey Smith, Tony Smith and Ben Smith. They live at Fort Dodge, Iowa, where Dennis is connected with Land ‘O’ Lakes.
Virginia Bekker received her degree from the University of Northern Iowa. She and her daughter, Catherine, are residing at Decorah, Iowa, where Virginia is pursuing a career in nursing.
Raymond Bekker was employed for many years as a maintenance mechanic at HON Industries in Muscatine until he retired in 1974. Alberta Bekker resumed teaching after a fifteen year interim at the Conesville Elementary school and retired after completing a total of 28 years in education.
Raymond Bekker died 1 January 1976. He and Alberta lived all their married life at the McKinley street address. Alberta remains active in church and community activities. Her hobbies of oil painting, sewing and crafts take care of her spare time.
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