Brinkema Family Obituaries

BEN BRINKEMA
 
 
Holyoke Enterprise, Holyoke, CO, 13 Feb 1958
 
RITES AT AMHERST FOR BEN BRINKEMA, LONGTIME RESIDENT
 
Funeral services for Ben Brinkema, a resident of the Amherst community for many years, were conducted Friday afternoon at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Amherst, with Rev. Theodore Schauland officiating. Interment was in the Amherst Cemetery.
 
Mr. Brinkema passed away last Wednesday, February 5, at the Field Nursing Home in Denver, where he had been since 1951. He was 87 years of age. The Lewis Funeral Home of Holyoke was in charge of funeral arrangements.
 
A son of Roelf and Trinke Brinkema, Ben Brinkema was born on June 13, 1870 in Holland. He came to the United States with his parents at the age of 13. The family settled near Glenvil, Nebraska where he grew to manhood. On March 26, 1889* he was united in marriage with Maria Dudden. They established their home near Glenvil and resided there for a number of years. To this union were born three sons and one daughter.
 In 1919, they moved to the Amherst community where Mr. Brinkema made his home until entering the rest home in Denver in 1951. He was confirmed in the Amherst Lutheran Church in 1937.
 
Mr. Brinkema was preceded in death by his wife; one son, Ralph, and his daughter, Katherine. Surviving are one brother, John Brinkema, Long Beach, California; two sons, George and Harry Brinkema, Amherst; 10 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren and many other relatives and friends.
 
*NOTE: Marriage license says married 2 Apr 1898.
 
 
 
MARY (DUDDEN) BRINKEMA
 
 
Holyoke Enterprise, Holyoke, CO, 20 Jan 1944
 
AMHERST WOMAN DIES OF DOUBLE PNEUMONIA
 
Mary Dudden Brinkema was born June 21, 1879 in Germany, the daughter of George Dudden and Mattie, nee Happen*, and as an infant she was baptized into the Christian faith, in her native land. When still a small child, she came with her parents, to America, and settled near Glenville, Nebraska, where she spent her childhood days, and where she received her schooling and instructions with confirmation in the Lutheran faith, and where she grew to young womanhood.
 
On April 2, 1898, she was united in marriage to Ben Brinkema, and they continued to make their home at Glenville, where their four children were born, 3 sons and a daughter. The daughter died at the age of about 1 1/2 years, and one son, Ralph preceded her in death about six years.
 
In October 1919, they moved with their family to Phillips County, Colorado, and made their home on a farm about 5 miles northeast of Amherst. Five years later they purchased a farm in Chase County, Nebraska, located about 9 miles southeast of Amherst, where they made their home until they sold the farm, when they retired from farm work, and moved to Amherst, where they purchased the Fred Nierman residence. This was less than a year ago. They enjoyed retired life in Amherst until about 2 months ago when her husband took ill with pneumonia and was taken to the hospital, where she spent the early part of his illness caring for him.
 
After entering the hospital, she seemed to be recovering satisfactorily, until about a week before her death, when complications began to set in.
 
She had been a member of the Amherst church ever since coming to Colorado, and was also a member of the Lutheran Ladies Aid. She was always willing and ready to help in this work.
 
She was 64 years, 6 months and 23 days of age and leaves to mourn her husband, two sons, George and Harry, both of Amherst, 5 brothers, 1 sister, 8 grandchildren and a host of friends and acquaintances.
 
*NOTE: Spelled Heppen?
 
 
RALPH BRINKEMA
 
 
Holyoke Enterprise, Holyoke, CO, 28 Jan 1937
 
SERVICES ARE HELD FOR RALPH BRINKEMA
 
Amherst Man Suffered From Ulcers of Stomach for Some Time
 
Funeral rites for the late Ralph Brinkema, 38, of Amherst, who died last Wednesday night following an operation at the Holyoke Hospital, were held Sunday at the St. Paul Lutheran Church at Amherst, and interment was made in the Amherst Cemetery. Rev. W.W. Wilk officiated at the services.
 
Mr. Brinkema had been a sufferer from ulcers of the stomach for a number of years, and he had almost expired from loss of blood when brought from his home to the Holyoke Hospital late last Wednesday afternoon. An operation was considered to be the only possible means of saving his life, but in his weakened condition, he failed to rally and died about 7:30 p.m. a few minutes after leaving the operating table.
 
Mr. Brinkema was born January 20, 1899, at Glenvil, Clay County, Nebraska, the son of Ben Brinkema and his wife, Mary nee Dudden. In the spring of 1919 he accompanied his parents to the Amherst community, and he himself engaged in farming southeast of Amherst a few years later. He was married on October 22, 1922, to Clara Rehfeld, and two daughters, Elvina and Viola, were born to them.
 
Mr. Brinkema is survived by his widow and two daughters, his parents, two brothers, George and Harry, all of the Amherst and Venango vicinities, as well as many other relatives.
 
He was baptized in the Lutheran Church on May 5, 1900, at Hastings, Nebraska and in 1916; his confirmation took place at Glenvil.


 

 
 
 
 
 

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