Berggraaff, John “Johnny,” 1927-1938

BURGGRAAFF, VANDYKE

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:36

From the Sioux County Capital, August 25, 1938:

Boy Killed in Fall

Johnny Burggraaff, eleven year old son of Mr. and Mrs. L. Burggraaff living southwest of Boyden was fatally injured Monday evening Aug. 15 at the Nick Wielenga farm. Johnny had been visiting at the Arie Van Zandbergen home which is about five miles south of the Burggraaff farm. He and the little Van Zandbergen boy had gone to the Wielenga farm to catch pigeons when the accident occurred. He fell from the top of the hay mouw through the open chute and struck his head on a manager[manger]. Mr. Wielenga rushed him to the Hull hospital where he died early Wednesday morning.

Johnny Burggraaff was born January 23, 1927 and died on August 17, 1938. He leaves to mourn his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lendert Burggraaff, two brothers Richard and Arie and two sisters, Wilimina and Effie, Mrs. Robert Kenning.

Funeral services were held on Friday afternoon at the home and First Ref. church here with Rev. Mr. George Douwstra of Hull officiating. Interment was made in the Boyden cemetery.

(A similar obituary was published in the Alton Democrat, August 26, 1938).

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His death certificate has John Berggraff, resident of Boyden, Iowa; a farmer’s son; born Jan. 3, 1927 in the Netherlands; parents Leendert Burggraff and Marie Van Dijke; died in the Hull Hospital at 8 a.m. August 17, 1938; cause, cerebral embolism, fell on head from hay mouw

The Sioux County Cemetery Index has Burggraaff, John, born 3 Jan 1927, died 17 Aug 1938, Sheridan Township Cemetery, Boyden. His FindaGrave.com page has a photo of his headstone confirming the spelling.