DIED: OKKE J. BOOMGAARDEN, November 29 1928. Services were held Sunday afternoon at 1:00 o'clock at the family home 2 miles southwest of Ellsworth, followed at 1:30 with final services at the Ellsworth Presbyterian church, conducted by the pastor, Rev. H. J. Noeding.. Burial followed in Grand Prairie cemetery where last honors were paid the deceased by a large number of relatives and friends.
Okke J. Boomgaarden was born July 2 1882 in Grundy county Iowa, the son of Jacob and Mrs. (Harmanna Freerks) Boomgaarden. He came with his family to Lyon county Iowa in 1892 and has since made his home there until a few years ago when the family moved to a farm in the extreme southwestern part of Grand Prairie township. He was married to Miss Jane Rose on July 19 1905. To this union were born six children Jake, Mabel, Amanda, Ben, George, and Mae Jean, all of whom, with the wife and mother, survive to mourn his passing. Deceased had been ailing for several months and consulted various physicians. He became seriously ill three weeks ago, but preferred to remain at his home for care. Growing rapidly worse on Wednesday of last he consented to be taken to the Ellsworth Hospital where at 5 30 that evening he passed away suddenly and most unexpectedly at the age of 45 years 5 months and 26 days. Besides his children and wife he leaves to mourn his passing his mother Mrs. Jake Boomgaarden, Mr. and Mrs. Webo Jansen, Rock Rapids Iowa, Mr. and Mrs. Martin Boomgaarden Edgerton Minnesota, Mr.and Mrs. Jake Boomgaarden Wahpeton ND, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Boomgaarden Pipestone, Minnesota, Mr. and Mrs. George Boomgaarden, Ellsworth Minnesota, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Akkerman Kanaranzi, Minnesota, Mr. and Mrs. William Boomgaarden Ellsworth Minnesota, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Boomgaarden, Pipestone Minnesota, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Boomgaarden Pipestone Minnesota, Mr. and Mrs. John Groen Ellsworth Minnesota, Mr and Mrs. Herman Boomgaarden, Rock Rapids Iowa and Frederick Boomgaarden living with his mother south of Ellsworth Minnesota.
Deceased was a man of vast physical energy, a hard and continuous worker, always busy on plans and efforts to enlarge his worldly comforts and those of his little family, busy the year around in activities calculated to advance the well being of his loved ones To have seen this man less that two weeks ago alert vigorous and in apparent excellent health only to learn now of his death was a shock to everyone a lesson on the frailties of the breath of life. Thus is brought home to us a realization of the fact that in the midst of life we are but knocking at death's door This realization is painful to most of us but nevertheless true. We cannot avoid facing the dread truth no matter how self confident we are. To his bereaved wife and children in this time of great sorrow goes the heartfelt sympathy of the entire community To have had their husband and father taken from their circle so unexpectedly was a severe shock, even though in his passing there is the consolation that he leaves behind sons and daughters of excellent character and habits who continue uninterrupted, the normal trend of affairs and successfully finish the work begun by their father during his lifetime. To them will fall the task of aiding their mother comforting her and giving to her that protection and cheer that can be given by children rightly reared and imbued with the spirit of full and overflowing love for their remaining parent. It is their task to carry on in full vigor, the duties toward successful home making so suddenly left without the guiding hand of the father just taken to his reward.

Ellsworth News
1928