Jake Jurrens

Funeral Service Livestream Link

Sibley, IA

     Jake Jurrens age 90 of Sibley, Iowa died Saturday, January 6, 2024 in Round Lake, Minnesota.

     Funeral services will be 1:30 PM Thursday, January 11, 2024 at First Presbyterian Church in Sibley, Iowa with Pastor Jordan Geffre, officiating.  Burial will follow in the Evergreen Lawn Cemetery at George, Iowa.

     Visitation will be Wednesday, January 10th from 5:00 to 7:00 PM with the family present at the Jurrens Funeral Home of Sibley.

     Jake Jurrens was born September 26, 1933 in George, Iowa, the son of Claus and Anke (Henrichs) Jurrens.  His parents had 8 sons and 1 daughter.  Jake was the third oldest.  

     He and his brothers used to play in the creek near their farm in the summer.  They would go swimming and fishing there.  When the river would get high, they like to grab ahold of the cows’ tails and let the cows tow them across.

     They didn’t have many toys, so they would make trucks, tractors, and machinery out of tin cans, sticks, etc.  They also would play around the straw stack and play in the hay mound in winter.  

     Jake attended country school which was one of the largest ones.  They had 20-23 students most of the time.

     Jake and his brothers and sister all milked cows by hand.  When they got older they loaded manure by hand and helped shock and thresh oats.

     When he was 12 his dad died from lockjaw and he and his 2 older brothers, who were 14 and 16 did the farming.  He quit school after the 8th grade to help on the farm.  

     Jake was drafted into the Army and spent 2 years in the Army.  Most of that time was spent in Japan.

     After he came home, he again helped his mother and brothers on the farm.  He and his friends liked to go cruising and go to dances.  After he got out of the Army, he bought a blue and white 1957 Ford.  He would usually put in $1 worth of gas (4 gallons) and that would last for a few days.

     In 1957 he met Ruth Hargens and they began dating.  They usually went to the drive-in movies in summer, where you could get a whole car full of people in for a dollar on “Buck Night”.  They would then go to the drive-in for lunch.  The drive-in had car hops.  Sometimes it took quite a while because everyone went there.  You could get a hamburger or hotdog for 25 cents and popcorn, ice cream, or a double-dip ice cream cone for 5 cents.

     In July of 1959 he married Ruth.  They lived for a while by George and moved West of Sibley, then to a farm East of Sibley.  They had 3 daughters and 2 sons.

     Jake liked to raise cattle.  He also had hogs and raised corn and beans, and sometimes hay and oats.  He farmed until his retirement in 2006.  

     Ruth passed away February 10, 2021.

     He enjoyed word puzzles, cards, watching TV, farm shows, parades, country western, gospel music festivals, going out to eat, and spending time with his family.

     Those left to cherish his memory are his children, Lori Vander Plaats of Sibley, IA, Lonnie (Teresa) Jurrens of Sibley, IA, Lisa (Gene) Reiser of Brandon, SD, Larren Jurrens of Windom, MN, and Lanette (Jason) Johanning of Round Lake, MN; grandchildren, Stacey, Jeremy, Tara Vander Plaats; Michael, Joshua, Alex Jurrens; Tyler Reiser, Carly Kulzer, Braiden Reiser; Andrew Jurrens, and Amanda Duerr; great grandchildren, Davian, Nevaeh, Bronson, Brooklyn, Connor, Dylan, Delaney, Raife, Teige, Ledia, Maximilian, Colette, Wyatt, William, Aria, and Ava; siblings, Clarence (Joyce) Jurrens of Fulda, MN, Harold (Faye) Jurrens of Lake Wilson, MN, Fred Jurrens of Little Rock, IA, Anetta (Dave) Hickman of Algona, IA, Marvin Jurrens of Little Rock, IA; sisters-in-law, Darlene Jurrens of LeMars, IA, and Nancy Jurrens of Pipestone, MN; along with many nieces, nephews, and extended family.

     He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth; parents, Claus and Anke; brothers, Ubbe, Alvin, and Glen; sisters-in-law, Mavis and Marlys.

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