|
|
|
The Reents
Family...
sitting L-R
Rieinhard Wilken Dec 5, 1869-Apr 6, 1956
Epke Ulferts - Dec 27, 1832-Jan 25
,1907 (FATHER)
Etta
Anneta - Apr 2, 1891-May 17, 1973
Antje (Annie) (Dirks, maiden name ) -
Dec 30, 1844-Dec 31, 1928 (MOTHER)
Dirk Franzen - Oct 16,
1865-1938
standing
L-R
Gretka (Maggie) -
Dec 29, 1863-1942
Herman Heihan Ricklufs - Mar 12, 1878-Oct 11, 1960 (MY GREAT
GRANDFATHER)
Wilhelmina
(Minnie) Marie - Jun 14, 1887-??
George Frank - Apr 14,
1883-1970
Heike Heihan
- Feb 3, 1874-Sep 28, 1962
Fraukao (Carrie) Harms (DREEKE, married name) - Feb 15,
1872-1924
Andrew Harms
- Jan 21, 1876-Apr 11, 1956
Gertjen Gerdes (Gertrude) (Stunkel, married name) - Jan 28,
1868-Jun 20, 1979 at age 111
YEARS) |
 
Page 4
Rockford Journal,
Thursday, Febuary 1, 1979
111, A Happy Birthday For Gertrude Stunkel Last
sunday afternoon, Jan.28th, the first lady of Rockford's senior citizens,
Gertrude Stunkel, 1412 Andrews St, greated about 20 friends in her
home on the occasion of her 111th birthday.
Although the birthday ____
_____ has been the same____ many years, and regularly since ____ passed
the centry mark 11 years ago, she was delighted sunday when a giant
birthday card created by her friends at St Paul Lutheran Church,
signed by them,was dilivered to her home by the Rev.and Mrs.Maroin Frite
(?)
Mrs Stunkel, (nee) Gertrude Reents, is the daughter of German
immigrants, and was born in Secor,ILL1/28/1868.
She married the late
Maurice Stunkel in Benson ILL,1/26/1890.
She has been a west side
Rockford resident for 64 years, and has lived in her present home
for 25 years
The mother of 5 daughters and one son, Mrs. Stunkel has
outlived fife of her 6 children. Her surviving daughter is Mrs George
(Lydia) Funnell, 2019 Ridge Ave.
At four score and 11
years-----
Godbless you Gertrude Stunkel.
We join your daughter,
grandchildren and great grandchildren and friends, in wishing you more
happy healthy birthdays.
Having lasted through all these years, born
just three years after the close of the U.S Civil War, you have
watched men progress from horse and buggy to walking on the moon..
What
a Marvelous Lifetime.....
Still Going At 108
"Working outdoors in the garden almost every day and staying
away from medicines are the reason I've lived to be 105"
says
Mrs.Gertrude Stunkel, a peppy lady with snowy white hair. She is the aunt
of Elmer and Lillie Reents and William and Evelyn Reents of Rt,4 Edgerton.
(sister to Elmer and Wm's Father)
This was her comment 3 1/2 yrs
ago; today at 108 1/2 years she still lives in her own home with a nurse
as a companion.
She has given up her garden activities, but still
would like to cook. Her home is in Rockford ILL.
She has been
healthy all her life, except for a broken in June of 1972 and an operation
for Gallstoness about 40 years ago.
"I dont like to take
medicines" she says."I dont believe in having pills around. People
shouldn't complain and see a doctor every time they feel a little sick.
They should keep busy, get out and walk more and get out next to
nature."
She does take Vitamins, but rebels against medicines. She
proudly shows a engraved plaque presented to her by her church on her
100th birthday.
Her husband, two sons, three sisters, five
brothers, and four daughters have passed away. She has one daughter living
at the age of 79.
She still gets around without the aid of cane or
wheelchair. In fact when we visited her last Sunday August 15 she greeted
us at the door.
Herman and Gertie (brother and
sister)
Miltilda Dittburner (Hermans Daughter)
June Dittburner
Personett (Hermans Grandaughter)
1983
By Rex & June
Personett
I remember "Aunt Gertie", as a small child and on
through the years untill we moved to California, seven years
ago.
She was one of about five brothers and sisters who lived
most of their live in the Rockford, ILL area. She was widowed at an
early age ( about 40) and raised her children and outlived them all
except the last daughter who was in charge of her daughter of her
wellfare to the end of her life. Gertie did "her own thing", way beyond
the usual lifespan.
She had the usual trials, sickness and
healthcare disapointments.......having watched one son go mentaly ill. She
lived through the depression......... saving the farm which totaled over
500 acres in some of the richest farmland in the mid-west. The land was
kept in the family trust after her death with her being the "one in
charge", as she put it.
She survived Brain Hemmorage at a time when
most of us would be considering it a last illness. Not only did she
recover she suffered no paralysis, eye or other nerve damage. Later she
was to fall and break her hip. Again she manipulated her therapy
equipment, so that she might gain her strength at the ripe age of 80 some
years so she could "go home and take care af Augie" her son who was not
well, (according to Aunt Gertie).
She would keep herself in
contemporary thinking, rather than most who tend to dwell in the past by
planning "next years buiness" conserning her home.She continued to live in
her own home until the very last two years and had a habit of firing her
housekeeper.
Her daughter who survived her, had to re-hire the
housekeeper on a regular basis.
We have to admit Aunt Gerties
independence was dependent on her loving daughters care. Aunt Gertie
had the funds to cover not only the cost of upkeep on her bungalow
in Rockford but also the expense of three 8 hour shifts of private
nurse care.
It was her daughter's decision because as she said,
Aunt Gertie's personality would smother any nursing home and as long as
the trust funds covered her expences, they would see to it that she was
given the opertunity to live on, in her own home. She would attened the
local home Lutheran church regularly and every year after 100 years
of age the church would "Hold Court" for such a lady who continued on
under the cloak of Grace provided her by her Lord.
Rex and I were
for fortunate to have gone to Wisconsin the week that Aunt Gertie taken
back to her Lord. Even at her funeral, it was as though she was "holding
court" for the friends she had known so long. She has continued to be an
inspiration to those who would like to settle back and nourish "self
pitty" ......age was not something she knew "next year" was her plan for
today. Life was not easy for Gertie.....just daily appreciated by
her...
Trinity Lutheran Church
The group of Lutherans, mostly of German extraction, and
living in Linn Township, first met and were ministered to by Pastor Buskin
of Secor.
In a special meeting on October 22, 1871, it was decided
to organize a congregation of their own. Claus Beenders and H. Harms were
elected Elders. Albert Meyer and Epke Reents were named to supervise a
school connected with the church. Services were to be conducted in the
German language and for some time the congregation was known as the German
Lutheran Church.
In 1873, three acres of land donated by Albert
Meyers, Claus Beenders and D. Meyers became Trinity Lutheran Cemetery.
This same year the congregation built a parsonage.
In September,
1874, a call was extended to Pastor Carl Weber of Goldberts, Pennsylvania,
which included the obligation to teach school to the best of his ability.
His salary was $400 per year, a free house and use of two acres of
land.
In April, 1880, the congregation decided to build a new
church at a cost of $2213.73. Habbe Schlomer was awarded the contract. In
November, 1880, the church was dedicated with two services and a concert
by a band from a Lutheran Church in Peoria.
As Roanoke grew in the
late 1800's, a mission school conducted by Mrs. Hannah Schlomer Ladendorf
was started in Roanoke during the summer months. The church grew rapidly
from 1880 to 1922. The German language was still used two Sundays a month
for services in the early twenties, but by 1922 the records of the church
were kept in English. In 1922, the church was moved from Linn township to
Lincoln Street in Roanoke. Two steam engines were used to move the
building. One engine pulled the structure while the other was used as a
brake engine. The house that was on the site was moved to the west and
used for a parsonage.
In 1946, the Diamond Jubilee of the
congregation was celebrated. In 1957, a $30,000 enlargement and
modernization of the building was completed. The remodeling included an
extension of the building to the north. The following year a new organ was
installed, and in 1960 the congregation dedicated an addition to the south
of the original building. The new vestibule with its two multi purpose
rooms cost $22,000 plus much volunteer labor.
A new parsonage was
built on the Ladendorf property, which had been bequeathed to the
congregation, on the corner east of the church. It was built with the help
of volunteer labor and dedicated in 1967. The Moser property adjacent and
north of the church was purchased in 1968 and a paved parking lot
built.
On October 22, 1971, the congregation celebrated its 100th
anniversary with special services and programs conducted by former Pastors
Fred Pfotenhauer and William Eifrig. To celebrate the 100th anniversary is
a privilege, but to have a daughter of the original congregation alive,
even though she was already three years old when the congregation was
organized, is a privilege indeed. Such is the case of Mrs. Gertrude Stunkel, the former Gertrude Reents,
who was born January 28, 1868.
The Trinity Lutheran congregation has had 14 pastors in
the past 100 years.
They are: Theo Buszin (1871-1874), C. Weber (1874-1879),
Theo Pissel (1879-1899), B. Graupner (1899-1910), K. F. Kinse (1910-1922),
E. C. Schutt (1923-1927), W. F. Eifrig (1927-1932), F. Pfotenhauer
(1933-1936), E. W.. Hahn (1936-1946), A. C. Meier (1946-1947), M. Beer
(1947-1956), L. Mietzner (1957-1963), W. H. Lubkeman (1963-1964), John S.
Ricker (1964-1974), and Charles Johnson
(1974). |
