LIHUDIS, GEORGE AND JOHANNA (HULSTEIN)
The Lihudis name originates in the country of Greece. It was there that George Lihudis was born on January 10, 1897 to John and Angeline Lihudis. He came to America when he was thirteen years of age with his uncle. He had one sister Helen Lihudis who stayed in Greece. He lived with his uncle in New York until as a young man he went to Madison, WI and got a job with the railroad. Next he took an opening in Struble, IA to become railroad section foreman. He was there for six months and then became section foreman in Sioux Center. This is where George met and married Johanna Hulstein.
Johanna Hulstein was born November 5, 1904, at Carmel, IA. Her parents were Gerrit Hulstein and Caroline Ver Ploeg. (See their separate story.) Johanna grew up on a farm two miles east and 1/4 north of Carmel, IA. All nine children of her family were born there, six brothers and two sisters; she was born second from the last. She attended country school in Welcome Township, and as was common in those days, as soon as her mother needed help due to ill health, Johanna had to stay home to help. She attended Carmel Reformed Church.
George Lihudis Family in 1962. Front row L-R: John, Billy, Kathy, Johanna, George, Gerrit
James, and Gary John (on lap). Back row L-R: Mary (Mrs. John), Lori, Jamie, Barb (Mrs. Gerrit),
and Vicki.
Johanna married George Lihudis on July 19, 1922, at her home. They first lived in the railroad section house right adjacent to Johanna's present home at 126 4th St. NW. George worked with the railroad until he got sick and in 1964 he passed away. Their family were members of Central Reformed Church in Sioux Center.
After George died, Johanna worked at the Sioux Center High School in the dining room for a few years. Johanna then joined the Foster Grandparents program at Hope Haven School for the Handicapped in Rock Valley. She is in her 16th year in that program and enjoys working with the special children. Johanna enjoys working with her many friends who are in the same program. Other enjoyments are handiwork, such as crocheting and tatting.
Johanna and George are the parents of two sons: John L. and Gerrit James. John L. Lihudis was born April 29, 1923. He married Mary Heissel. He worked for the railroad and lived at Merrill, IA and later moved to Seattle, WA. They have four children: Janie (Mrs. Bill Tottz) who lives in Seattle, WA; Linda (Mrs. Tom Zidick) lives in Houston, Texas; Bill and wife Cecil live in Seattle, WA, and Kathy (Mrs. Joe Ensminges) lives in Seattle, WA.
Gerrit James Lihudis was born June 16, 1929. He married Barbara Young from Priscile, ME. He was railroad section foreman at various locations and now lives at Seattle, WA. They have four children: Vicki (Mrs. Danny Hollen) of Williston, ND; Lori Lihudis; George L. died at 18 years of age in an accident; Gary L. and his wife Donna live in Seattle, WA.
by Johanna Lihudis and Wilma J. Vande Berg
Between 1st & 2nd E-W roads, row 4 west of east entry road:
George Lihudis, 71, Retires After 55 Years Service With Railroad
Will Continue To Make Home Here
George Lihudis, 71, section foreman on the Great Northern railroad here since 1919, retired on December 11, 1963, ending a railroad career that began 55 years ago.
He and Mrs. Lihudis will continue to make their home at 126 Fourth Street Northwest in Sioux Center where they have lived since 1935.
Born in Greece, Mr. Lihudis came to the United States in 1904 at the age of 12 and worked for four years at various jobs in New York prior to beginning his railroad career at Madison, Wis., in 1908 as a laborer.
In 1915 he left Madison to work as a railroad section hand at Buckgrove, Ia., and was elevated to foreman there. In 1918 he left Buckgrove and moved to Michigan to work for the Northwestern railroad, but later in the same year went to Minneapolis to accept a position as section worker with the Great Northern.
He was sent to Strubble, Iowa, and worked there for three months, then was promoted to foreman and sent to Sioux Center, where he had headquartered since.
On July 19, 1922, he was married to Johanna Hulstein of Sioux Center and to this union two sons were born, John and Gary, both of whom are now working for the Great Northern railroad and who have, with their father, established a family service record with the Great Northern of 93 years.
Sioux Center News 1964-01-09.