Mrs. J. Lutterman Laid to Her Rest
Mrs. J. H. Lutterman, whose illness of a critical nature was mentioned in the Herald last week, died on Thursday evening at 8:30. The cause of death was the infirmities attendant upon old age, aggravated by an obstinate cold that defied all medical treatment. She passed quietly after an illness of about three months.
The funeral was held Monday June 7, at the Wellsburg Reformed church, Rev. Wm. Landsiedel officiating, assisted by Rev. Carl Heinrich. Interment was made in the Wellsburg cemetery.
The pall bearers were Dan Snittjer, John Huisman, C. H. Heddens, D. Claassen, Wm. Knock, and Geo. A. Geerdes.
The attendance was very large and the floral offerings were beautiful.
Those present from abroad were in part as follows: John Lutterman, wife and son of Little Rock, Iowa; Casper Kettwig of Lennox, S. D.; Harm Lutterman of Lennox, S. D.; Mr. and Mrs. Thos. Onken and Richard Lutterman of Sibley, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Tjaden and son Henry of Iowa Falls; Mr. and Mrs. Dilver Walker, Mrs. D. A. Lutterman, Geo. Lutterman, Mr. and Mrs. Frank King, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Sielof, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Murphy of Buckeye, Ia.; Mr. and Mrs. Harold Mantor of Grundy Center, Ia.; Miss Helen Neessen of Grundy Center; Dr. and Miss C. W. Trussell of Waterloo, Ia.; Mr. and Mrs. Harm DeBuhr and Mrs. Johanna Siebrands of Rockford, Ia.
The family has the sympathy of the community in the loss of this noble woman, whose early struggles had taught her the kindly spirit always so apparent in her intercourse with all. It is from the earnest, conscientious and faithful women of her day that we of this later generation gain the most worth while things we have today.
Far too little honor is paid to our older women, who have done a very great part to make the county, state and country what they are at this day.
Not more than others but along with the faithful ones, may well be placed the name and memory of Geske Kettwig Lutterman.
Obituary.
Mrs. Geske Lutterman, born Kettwig, was born October 10, 1845, in Wassingfehn, Ostfriesland, Germany, and died at her home in Wellsburg, Grundy county, Iowa, June 3, 1920, aged 74 years, 7 months and 28 days.
In 1870 at the age of 25, she was united in marriage to Juergen Lutterman, and with him she came to America, settling on the home farm three miles south of Wellsburg.
Those were pioneer days in Iowa. The country was a prairie, the roads mere trails, trading points were a day’s journey or more away and the homes were scarcely more than huts.
But amidst all their hardships, the devoted couple endured, brought up a large family, twelve children blessing their union, one dying in infancy, the others growing into manhood and womanhood. The children are Hiram, John, Juergen, Henry, Charles, Mrs. Ben Hook, Albert, Jacob, Tena, Mrs. Harry Schwager and Eldridge.
In the years of hard work, a goodly share of wealth came to them and when in 1907, her husband died after a lingering illness, she was left to face her declining years without his companionship but surrounded by a family of devoted children and enough for comfort and even luxury as long as she should live.
In 1908, she moved to Wellsburg, where she lived until her death, enjoying the fruits of her early labors.
Mrs. Lutterman was a true Christian woman, confirmed to her faith in childhood, ever bearing the standard of love and friendship, and through which she became a faithful friend to all her acquaintances. She was a loving mother, a faithful member of her church and a noble citizen of the community.
She leaves to mourn her loss the children named above and two half-brother, Casper and Dick Kettwig, of Lennox, South Dakota, besides 27 grandchildren.
Card of Thanks
We are very thankful to the many friends for the assistance and sympathy that was given us during the sickness and burial of our dear mother. The Lutterman Family.
–Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 9 June 1920