Benton County Guide, Friday, February 9, 1945 JOHN FRED STEFFENS DIES Passed Away Sunday Morning At His Home in Cole Camp. John Frederich Steffens, retired farmer of Cole Camp, died at 7:30 o'clock Sunday morning, February 4, 1945, at his home, having attained the advanced age of 72 years, 3 months and 7 days. For several years he had suffered from a heart ailment which necessitated the giving up of all work. For the past three months he had been in very poor health and his condition gradually grew worse. Last Sunday morning he was preparing to partake of breakfast when he suddenly and quietly passed away. Funeral services were held at 1:30 o'clock Tuesday afternoon at the Eickhoff Funeral Home and at 2 o'clock at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Cole Camp, the pastor, Rev. H. J. Gerike, officiating. A ladies' quartet sang, "What God Ordained Is Good." Interment was in Trinity Lutheran cemetery. Pallbearers were: Gottlieb Boettjer, Ben Balke, August Balke, John Chehaski, Henry Intelmann Jr. and Rudy Bohling. John Frederich Steffens was born on October 27, 1872 in the Mt. Hulda community the son of Claus H. Steffens and his wife Mary, nee Schroeder. Several weeks later, November 17, his parents brought him to Holy Baptism, through which he was received into the family of God. On April 18, 1886, he was confirmed in Trinity Lutheran Church at Mt. Hulda by the Rev. A. Meyer. He was united in marriage with Mary Meyer on May 24, 1906. One child was born to this union, a stillborn daughter. The deceased spent his childhood years in the home of his parents southeast of Cole Camp. After his marriage he and his wife continued to live on a farm in the Mt. Hulda community until 1919. For seven years thereafter he lived in Cole Camp, and then made his home a short distance west of Cole Camp, where he lived for 19 years. In November he and his wife moved to Cole Camp, but he was not to enjoy his newly purchased home here for long. He leaves to mourn his departure, his wife Mary, one half brother, Henry Steffens, and many other relatives and friends. rwbrauer@iland.net