Individual Details
Maria "Mary" Dirks
(25 Sep 1890 - 30 Mar 1921)
Events
Families
Spouse | Erich Siebert Hinrich Eggers (1890 - ) |
Father | Dietrich Wilhelm Dirks (1857 - 1940) |
Mother | Gesche Margaretha "Grace Maggie" Bödeker (1859 - 1936) |
Sibling | Friederike Hermine "Recka" Dirks (1880 - 1960) |
Sibling | Margaret Sophia "Greta, Maggie" Dirks (1882 - 1971) |
Sibling | Harm Janssen Dirks (1885 - 1939) |
Sibling | Frauke Maria "Frances, Frankie" Dirks (1885 - 1914) |
Sibling | Sophia Catharina Dirks (1888 - 1944) |
Sibling | Gerd Janssen "George" Dirks (1893 - 1972) |
Sibling | Johann Gerhard "John" Dirks (1895 - 1969) |
Sibling | Heinrich Dietrich "Henry" Dirks (1897 - 1976) |
Sibling | Meta Margaretha Dirks (1900 - 1975) |
Notes
Death
THE MONTICELLO EXPRESS….APRIL 14, 1921…….PAGE 5Obituary of Mrs. Erich Eggers.
The mortal remains of Mary Dirks Eggers, who died at Idaho Falls, Idaho, on March 3Oth, were laid to rest last Sunday afternoon in St. John's Evangelical Lutheran .cemetery. The funeral sermon was preached by Rev. W. H. L, Schuetz on the text of her own choice, 1. John 1, 7: "The Blood of Jesus Christ His Son Cleanseth Us From All Sin." The funeral was largely attended by her many relatives and friends. The deceased was born in Wayne Township, on September 25, 1890. In early infancy she was baptized in the name of the Triune God. Later on she was instructed in the fundamentals of the Christian Doctrine and confirmed by Rev. C. C. Mardorf. On September 16, 1911, she was united in holy wedlock to Erich Eggers. A few months later, the young couple removed to the vicinity of Idaho Falls, Idaho, where they resided until her death.
In the midst of this Mormon community, where many attempts were made to convert her to Mormonism, the deceased not only remained steadfast in her Lutheran belief but, by a devoted
Study of Holy Writ, became more and more convinced of the biblical soundness of her religious tenets. This conviction led to the choice of her funeral text.
On the morning of March 3rd, while, in the preparation of breakfast, she was coaxing the fire on with kerosene, an explosion of the oil can caused extensive and severe burns to her body.
She was immediately rushed to the hospital, and within twenty, minutes was under the care of a physician, who held out little hope of her surviving longer than 24 hours. However, she lived for four week's thereafter. During the first two weeks she suffered almost unspeakable tortures.
Then she gave birth to a little baby girl. The child was baptized immediately and lived for only thirty-six hours. After the death of its mother, the baby was exhumed and now sleeps in the same coffin with its mother.
During the last week of her illness, Mrs. Eggers became unconscious and finally slept away very peacefully in the presence of her husband, at 5:30 on March 30th. She was 30 years, 6 months and 5 days of age.
The funeral services were held at Idaho Falls, Sunday afternoon, April 3rd. Her pastor, Rev. H. C. Westendorf of the Missouri Synod, officiated and spoke words of comfort. Last Friday morning, April 8th the husband and children arrived at Langworthy with the body which was taken to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Dietrich Dirks, until the day of the funeral. The deceased is survived by her sorrowing husband, five small children: Martha, Gertrude, Marietta, Reinhard, and Elsie. Her aged parents, four brothers and three sisters also survive.
Endnotes
1. 1895 Iowa State Census. Castle Grove Township PAGES 44-67 + 931 Monticello Township PAGES 463-490 Monticello City PAGES 494-515, PAGES 516-537 Scotch Grove PAGES 753-776 (transcribed by Joanne Wilken http://www.rootsweb.com/~iajones/census/census.htm 2002).
2. , Seventy-fifth anniversary of the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Congregation 1872-1947. (Wayne Township, Jones Co. Monticello, Iowa.:, 1947).
3. , Seventy-fifth anniversary of the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Congregation 1872-1947. (Wayne Township, Jones Co. Monticello, Iowa.:, 1947), p 86.
4. "Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934," database, Family Search, (https://familysearch.org: accessed 15 June 2016), Erich Eggers and Mary Dirks, 1911..