John and Elsie Broek, 1961, Elsie is holding
one of her finished quilts
BROEK, JOHN AND ELSIE E. (WASSINK)
John Broek, son of David and Margaret (Van Dyke) Broek was born in Kampen, Netherlands on March 29, 1888. John did carpenter work in the Netherlands. His parents and brothers: William and Bert and sisters: Hilda, Christina and Effie all arrived in America in May, 1904, when John was 16 years old. They arrived in Hull, Iowa and were met at the depot by a cousin, Lammert Van Wyhe. They settled on a farm by Sioux Center where they farmed as a family.
Elsie Elizabeth (Wassink) Broek was born on November 20, 1888, in Arnhem, Gelderlands, Netherlands, to Arend and Nellie (Mulder) Wassink. They arrived in America in March, 1894, with children: William, Cornelia, Albert, Elsie Elizabeth, Arend H. and Bertha. They made their home near Sioux Center for one year. At that time it was very hard to get work even at 75c a day. They and some others from the area moved to Mississippi. After staying about four years they moved to Texas about 40 miles west of Galveston, near a bajou or river and lived there for one and a half years. When Elsie was 12 years old, they lived through the Galveston storm where everything was flooded. After this storm they moved to a Sioux Center farm in 1900.
1961, John and Elsie Broek family. Back row, L-R: Nellie, Cornie, David, John, William, Arend,
Elsie. Front row, L-R: Mathilda,Margaret, John, Elsie, Bertha, Chris
John and Elsie were married on February 26, 1913. They farmed by Sioux Center, Sanborn, Perkins and then settled in Sioux Center. John served on the Church consistory and on the Christian School board.
To this marriage eleven children were born: David, Arend, Margaret, Nellie, Mathilda, Bertha, William, Cornelius, John, Elsie Elizabeth and Christine Evelyn. All the children were born at home and attended country school and later Christian School.
David was born February 1, 1914 and married Cornelia Vande Garde on February l, 1939. They have three sons: Jay, Darwin, and Roger. David passed away on May 30, 1989.
Arend was born on June 18, 1915 and married Cora Jansen on January 7,1938. They have five daughters: Delores (Lori), Joan, Arlene, Linda and Marianne. Arend passed away on May 21, 1982.
Margaret was born December 25, 1916.and married William De Koter on December 3, 1943. They have three children: Gary, Elaine. and Daniel.
Nellie was born May 26, 1918 and was married to James Franken on May 26, 1939. They have three children: Arthur, Eleanor and John.
"Lof stem" Far left, Ed Kooima, John in center
with boutonniere, William, John's brother, far
right.
Mathilda was born February 27, 1921 and married John Van Beek on December 9, 1947. They have three children: Marilyn, Alan and Marla.
Bertha was born November 24, 1922, and was married to Clarence Klein on August.7, 1946. They have four children: Arlin, Wanda, Ruth and Kenneth.
William (Bill) was born January 18, 1925 and married Ina Altena on December 28, 1945. They have three daughters: Rosella, Paulette and Rebecca.
Cornelius (Cornie) was born January 23, 1926 and married Albertha (Berdie) Hulstein on February 11, 1948. They have four daughters: Judith, Fonda, Diane and Kathy.
John was born on June 2, 1927 and married Gertrude De Vos on February 6,
1948, They have five sons: Leslie, Harlan, Daniel, Mark and Jon Eric.
Elsie was born January 12, 1930 and married Gaynor Te Grotenhuis on January
3, 1951. They have three children: Donna, Wayne and Beth.
Christine (Chris) was born June 21, 1931 and was married to Peter Schouten on January 12, 1955. They have three children: Sandra, Sharon and Jeffrey.
John enjoyed carpenter work for a hobby and sang with the men's choir called "Lofstem", Elsie made rugs, did sewing and canning, In 1961, Elsie surprised all of her children by making each of them a quilt. She would work on them when John was outdoors end had quite a few of them done before he realized what she was doing. The family also enjoyed singing together.
John passed away October 30, 1973 and Elsie passed away April 21, 1964.
As of this writing there are 39 grandchildren, 69 great-grandchildren and 9 great-great-grandchildren.
by Diane (Broek) Van De Berg
Valley View cemetery is located 1 mile south of Rock Valley.
This stone can be found on the west side of Elmwood Ave. & 320th St. Center section, Row 5. GPS is 43 11.171 96 17.711
Born as Elsje Elizabeth Wassink.
Mrs. John Broek, Sr., Dies Tuesday; Funeral Is Friday Funeral services will be held at Bethel Christian Reformed church here at 1:30 p.m. Friday for Mrs. John Broek, 75, long-time resident of Sioux Center, who died Tuesday at the Sioux Center Community hospital following a stroke. She had been hospitalized one day. Services will be conducted bv the Rev. Clarence Van der Plate and burial will be made in the Sioux Center Community cemetery under the direction of Vander Ploeg's Funeral Home. A brief service will be held at Vander Ploeg's funeral chapel preceding the service at the church.
Mrs. Broek, nee Elsie Wassink, was born in The Netherlands, November 20, 1888. She was married to John Broek February 26, 1913, in Sioux Center, and to this union 11 children were born.
Survivors besides her husband of Sioux Center include five sons, Dave of Inwood, Arend of Hull, William, Cornie and John of Sioux Center; six daughters, Mrs. William De Koter of Maurice, Mrs. James Franken of Sioux Center, Mrs. John Van Beek of Ireton, Mrs. Clarence Klein of Alton, Mrs. Gaynor Te Grotenhuis of Rock Valley and Mrs. Peter Schouten of Ireton. Other survivors include 37 grandchildren, four great grandchildren; a sister, Mrs. Albert Kraayenbrink, of Sioux Center, and a brother, Arend Wassink, of Saranac, Mich.
She was preceded in death by three brothers, William, the Rev. Albert and Case Wassink.
Sioux Center News 1964-04-23.
Services to be held for John Broek, sr.
Funeral services will be held for John Broek, sr., 85, of Sioux Center on Nov. 1, Thurs., at 10:30 p.m. at the Bethel Christian Reformed church. Mr. Broek died on Oct. 30, in the nursing wing of the Sioux Center hospital.
He was born in the Netherlands on March 29, 1888. He came to Sioux County in 1903 and married Elsie Wassink in Febr. 1913. She died in 1966.
He is survived by five sons; David, Rock Valley; Arend, William and Cornie of Sioux Center and John, jr. of Orange City. Six daughters; Mrs. William (Margaret) De Koter, Orange City; Mrs. James (Nellie) Franken, Sioux Center; Mrs. John (Mathilda) Van Beek, Ireton; Mrs. Clarence (Bertha) Klein, Alton; Mrs. Gaynor (Elsie) Te Grotenhuis, Rock Valley and Mrs. Peter (Christine) Schouten of Ireton.
Rev. H. Vanden Heuvel will be in charge of the service with burial in Memory Gardens in Sioux Center. Music will be furnished by the Bethel Christian quartet and his nephews will be pallbearers. Mr. Broek served as elder on the church council for 30 years, served many years as chairman of "Lofsten" psalm singers.
Sioux County Capital 1973-10-31.