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Fred H. Ridder

1872 - 1940

 

 

Funeral Services Held Monday For Frederick Ridder

Fred H. Ridder, retired Klemme business man, died Saturday night at a Mason City convalescent home where he had been for the past few weeks. Mr. Ridder had been in ill health for the past three years.

Funeral services for Mr. Ridder were held Monday afternoon in charge of the Wellemeyer Funeral Service at the Klemme Methodist Church, Rev. Wm. Zabilka delivering the sermon. Interment was in the Klemme Cemetery. Following is the obituary.

Frederick Herman Ridder was born on October 9th, 1872, at Lippe Detmold, Germany, the third of a family of seven children born to his parents, Adolf and Julia Hillkameyer Ridder.

At the age of two years he migrated to America with his parents and the family settled on a farm near Flood Creek, Iowa.

After completing his rural school education, he attended the Charles City College.

At the age 24, Mr. Ridder came to Klemme, this was in 1896, when the town of Klemme was young, 7 years old to be exact. The "Ridder Repair Shop" was built and was equipped to do Blacksmithing, Horse Shoeing, Wagon Work, Engine Work, etc.

Mr. Ridder was a natural born mechanic, he was neat, careful and accurate in his work, the repair shop was know far and wide as the best repair shop in Northern Iowa.

After 27 years, he disposed of the repair shop but continued to do plumbing in this community.

In 1901, Mr. Ridder made the complete installation of the original water works system in Klemme.

He was a member of the Town Council when the Sanitary Sewage System was established in Klemme.

He was a member of the Board of Directors of the First National Bank until his health failed.

On Nov. 22, 1899, Fred H. Ridder and Frances Lau were married, they have lived in Klemme during all their married life, 41 years. To this union three children were born: Viva, Mrs. Sam Harvey, Mason City, Iowa; Levi Ridder, Klemme; Neota, Mrs. Walter Beatty, Elmhurst llinois.

In March 1937, Mr. Ridder suffered a stroke which brought on a lameness to the left side of his body and after being an invalid for 3 1/2 years, he passed away to the Great Beyond, his end came Saturday night Sept. 7, 1940.

He reached the age of 67 years, 10 months and 29 days.

He leaves besides his wife and children, five grandchildren; one sister, Mrs. Emil Kohlstedt, Colville, Wash.; two brothers Julius Ridder, Fairmont, Minn.; Adolph Ridder, Watertown, South Dakota, and many more distant relatives and friends.

source: Times, Klemme, Iowa, 11 Sep 1940, page 1, column 1

 

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