Mrs; Franken, the former Minnie Vande Weerd, was born Feb. 3, 1895, in Ede, The Netherlands and came to the Sioux Center area at age ten. She married Henry Franken March 19, 1915, in Rock Valley. The couple farmed in the Rock Valley and Hawarden area until his death Jan. 1, 1964, at which time she moved into Rock Valley. In 1976 she moved to Sioux Center and to the nursing wing in 1985. Mrs. Franken was a member of the Guild for Christian Service of the Central Reformed Church.
Survivors include a son, Bernard of Sioux Center; two daughters, Mrs. Jennie Van Egdom and Mrs. Gerrit (Helena). Dykstra, both of Rock Valley; three sisters, Mrs. Dena Wesselink of Margate, Fla., Mrs. Gerrit (Bertha) Wissink of Rock Valley and Mrs. Gertrude Gunnik of Healdsburg, Calif.; 20 grandchildren; 54 great-grandchildren and 17 great-great-grandchildren.
Rock Valley Bee 1988-02-10.
Henry Franken Dies At Age 67
Funeral services for Henry Franken, 67, rural Hawarden farmer who died Wednesday of last week at the Hawarden hospital following a lingering illness, were held at 1:30 Saturday at the First Christian Reformed church were Rev. John Wiegers officiated with burial at Valley View Cemetery at Rock Valley.
Mr. Franken, a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Aalt Franken, was born at Sioux Center on April 12, 1896. He married Minnie Vande Weerd at Rock Valley March 19, 1915. He spent his entire life In Sioux county, farming north of Hawarden the past 16 years prior to which he farmed in the Sioux Center and Rock Valley vicinities.
Survivors beside the widow are two daughters, Mrs. John (Jennie) Van Egdom of Inwood, Iowa, and Mrs. Gerrit (Helena) Dykstra of Rock Valley; three sons, Allen of Sioux Falls, James of Inwood and Bernard of Sioux Center; a brother, Bert of Boyden; two sisters, Mrs. Bill Vande Velde and Mrs. Case Ter Maanen; 19 grandchildren and 11 great grandchilden.
Hawarden Independent1964-01-09.
Helena Dykstra, 82, of Rock Valley died Monday, September 12, at Valley Manor in Rock Valley. Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at First Reformed Church in Inwood with the Rev. Bill Donkersloot officiating. Burial will be in Valley View Cemetery, Rock Valley. Visitation will be Wednesday, with the family present 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Porter Funeral Home in Rock Valley.
Mrs. Dykstra was born July 7, 1923, in Sioux Center, the daughter of Henry and Minnie (Vande Weerd) Franken. The family moved near Fairview, South Dakota, where she attended school.
She married Gerrit Dykstra on March 19, 1946, in Inwood. They farmed southeast of Inwood and later northwest of Rock Valley until moving into Rock Valley in 1982. She was a Foster Grandparent for more than 15 years. She moved to Valley Manor on February 14, 2005.
She is survived by her husband, of Rock Valley; two daughters, Glenda (Larry) Warner of Larchwood and Karla (Fred) Van Kley of Rock Valley; two sons, Kevin (Lorri) Dykstra of Rock Valley and Curt (Julie) Dykstra of Parker, South Dakota; a brother, Bernie (Judy) Franken of Sioux Center; a sister, Jennie Van Egdom of Hawarden; two sisters-in-law, Margaret and Irene Franken, both of Sioux Falls; 11 grandchildren; and seven greatgrandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Allen and Jim Franken.
Memorials may be directed to Foster Grandparents.
Sioux Center News 2005-09-14.
Gerrit Dykstra, 93, died Monday February 21, 2011 at Whispering Heights, Rock Valley. Memorial Service will be 10:30 am Friday at Porter Funeral Home, Rock Valley. Burial will be prior at Valley View Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday with family present 6:30-8 pm at Porter Funeral Home.
Gerrit Henry Dykstra was born September 1, 1917 on the homestead near Inwood, son of John and Ziena (Vugteveen) Dykstra. He served in the Army Airforce during WW II. Gerrit married Helena Franken on March 19, 1946 at Inwood. Together they farmed SE of Inwood and later NW of Rock Valley until retiring to Rock Valley in 1982. Gerrit enjoyed tending to the garden and lawn chores, and playing cards with his friends. Helena died September 12, 2005.
Gerrit moved to Whispering Heights May 3, 2010. Gerrit was an avid Vikings Fan. He and his family made many trips to the dome in Minneapolis. He also loved baseball and especially the Twins. In his younger years he and his two brothers played on the country team. They would play in pasture against the town team. Sports were a big part of his life and he spent many hours watching them on television. He always would share his coaching opinion.
Suvivors are his daughters, Glenda (Larry) Warner of Larchwood, IA, Karla (Fred) Van Kley of Rock Valley; sons, Kevin Dykstra of Rock Valley, Curt (Julie) Dykstra of Yankton, SD; 11 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; sister-in-laws, Margaret Franken, Irene Franken both of Sioux Falls, Jennie Van Egdom of Hawarden, IA; brother-in-law, Bernie (Judy) Franken of Sioux Center, IA.
Gerrit was preceded in death by his wife, Helena; brothers, Ted Dykstra and Clarence Dykstra.
Obituary & Photo from Porter Funeral Home
