I was born into a singing family. Mother, uncles, aunts and cousins; all could sing yet when the Lord got to me, He was fresh out of “singing voices”! Oh I can carry a tune and even have a fairly accurate pitch but with about an 8 note range I feel completely inadaquate to express vocally something as beautiful to me as music, especially sacred music, therefore, I don’t particularly even like to sing.

At age 12 mother started me on organ lessons with our neighbor Winnie Abma who, as a girl, took her lessons from a neighbor. It was from one book and at a foot pump organ. After 4 lessons the sudden death of my father disrupted family pursuits and it was a year before I continued. Fascinated by the possibilities of the keyboard, I experimented and discovered things for myself during the lapse, but I never told my teacher I was playing hymns when I returned.

Being a “depression kid” my musical education ended in a year or so and what I knew was pieced together with more instinct than knowledge and lacked many of the basics. I did like to practice which undoubtedly was one asset. From necessity, plus vocal prodding by an uncle, I began to play at church at age 15, and I especially enjoyed accompanying our newly formed choir and I learned to express myself in helping others bring a musical message. Five years of playing for every service and meeting every week resulted in my being quite carried away with my own importance and I am ashamed to say I sometimes played “hard to get”. I even felt I had done quite enough and was ready to retire when our first baby was on the way.

At first it was great. No one needed me in that department and I seldom played at home. A half dozen years later I began to feel an intense yearning to get back. It was the close of World War II, and I had learned to share my concerns with the Lord. The memory of playing “hard to get” haunted me and I vowed that if God in His wisdom would again open a door of service in music to me, I would never refuse a request or opportunity were it physically possible and as long as my service was adequate and did not stand in the way of another, I would serve Him to the end of my life in this way.

A short time later I attended church alone on a Sunday evening. After the bell, our new pastor entered alone and asked if anyone present could accompany the hymns. The organist was absent for the first time in years! Another uncle this time, prodded me in the back saying “Go ahead!“. That was it! The pastor called on me occasionally and after several more years I was again serving on a regular basis.

Still later, our children no longer small, I returned to accompany the choir and singing groups with a return satisfaction in helping others serve the Lord in song. As our church grew, we were blessed with many skilled and knowledgeable singers and musicians. Always conscious of my lack of training and knowledge, a growing feeling of inadequacy plagued me to the point that at times I could barely function. Shaking hands and feet would come without warning. When I nearly ‘blew’ an Easter program in its beginning I began to feel I had better “throw in the towel”. I rode home alone with our youngest son, a high school senior, who had just achieved his goal in the wrestling tournaments. Slowing the car he said “Ok what’s going on that you shook and almost fell apart?” I told him and there beside the road my teenage son gave me a lecture in “positive thinking”. Thoroughly ashamed, I began to realize that God did not require another’s ability from me. He required my ability from me! Though sometimes frustrating some of my happiest years have been with our twice a Sunday choir, especially when half were young people committed to a musical message for the Lord. I shall always treasure the memory of presenting our “homemade” Easter Cantata I wrote during a cold and stormy January.

Someone has recently remarked “If you ask the Lord for a challenge, you’d better be ready for action! ’ Such a time was a September day in 1972. After 30 years of constant involvement in school and young people’s events, they ended abruptly with our youngest graduating from high school and leaving for college.

Compared to the past hectic pace the months ahead looked drab and uneventful. As I sat at the kitchen table dropping tears on my weekly round of letters, I prayed for a new challenge. Well, before I realized what was going on. I was involved in the ‘Gospel Sound”! There followed 2 l/2 years of incredible experiences! At times I detected a puzzled look on some people’s faces as these young people introduced their accompanist!

Well, they needed me and I needed them and the Lord used that group in a wonderful way.

So -- there is a part of my musical story. I am deeply grateful to those uncles, family members, pastors and choir leaders who gave me encouragement and the original promise I made to the Lord still holds, for as Grace Adkins has expressed in a song “By and by when I look on His face, I’ll wish I had given Him more.”

And that’s why I am, “That Annie that plays the organ”.

• At 23 years of age Floyd became the father of Ronald D. Geurink Wausau, WI, June 18, 1937.
• At 25 years of age Floyd became the father of Alan Geurink Wausau, WI, August 10, 1938.
• At 26 years of age Floyd became the father of Carol Joanne Geurink Town of Easton, WI, January 16, 194O.
• At 29 years of age Floyd became the father of Jerry Geurink Wausau, WI, April 17, 1943.
• At 31 years of age Floyd became the father of Charles Geurink Wausau, WI, August 17, 1944.
• At 35 years of age Floyd became the father of Gordon Geurink Wausau, WI, December 22, 1948.
• At 4 1 years of age Floyd became the father of Sheryl Geurink Wausau, WI, November 26, 1954.

Floyd died August 17, 1996 in Wausau. WI, at 83 years of age.

*Text taken from Wausau newspaper obituary: Floyd Geurink, 83, of 2410 Mount View Blvd, Wausau, died Saturday, Aug. 17, 1996, at a local nursing home.

He was born Aug. 4, 1913, in the town of Easton, the son of the late Henry and Effie Jensema Geurink. He married Anna Holster on June 17, 1936, in the town of Easton. She survives.

He graduated from the former Easton Center One Room School and worked on his father’s farm. They purchased the Geurink family farm which was also Floyd’s birthplace. He was very interested in conservation practices, strip cropping, tree planting, and dairy improvements. He also attended night classes provided for Marathon County farmers. In 1973 he received the Conservation Award from Northcentral Technical Institute at their ammal banquet. Floyd’s interests were in trees and wood lots, sports events, especially those in which family members participated. He did volunteer work in transportation for the Commission on Aging and in their early retirement years Floyd and Annie traveled extensively. Floyd was a school bus driver for 33 years for Schofield Rothschild School District. In 1983 he received a bus driver’s award from the Wisconsin Association for Pupil Transportation at an awards banquet in Green Bay. Upon retiring from farming in 1976, the Geurinks built a retirement home on a part of the farm property located on East Tower Road, town of Easton and in 1994 moved to their present address in Wausau. Floyd was a lifetime member of the New Hope Church Congregation, served terms as deacon and treasumr and for years was the treasurer of the Forestville Community Cemetety Association.

Survivors besides his wife Anna, include three sons, Ron (Diane) Geurink, Gleason, Jerry (Julie) Geurink, Whitehall, Wis., and Chuck (Jeanie) Geurink, McFarland, Wis.; two daughters, Carol (Roy) Johnson, Wauwatosa and Sherry (Vern) Hettinga, New Berlin; 15 grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; one sister, Ora Nauta, Minoqua; one brother-in-law, Lester TenHaken; two sisters-in-law, Agnes and Lorraine Geurink. He was preceded in death by one son, Alan; four brothers, John, Jess, Elmer, and Hilbert; two sisters, Clara TenHaken, and Ruth Nauta.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21, 1996, at New Hope Community Church, comer of Highways N and J, town of Easton. Pastor Larry TenHaken will officiate. Burial will be in the Forestville Cemetery, town of Easton. Friends may call from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, at Helke Funeral Home, Wausau, and again from 10 a.m. Wednesday until the time of services at the church.

-“Floyd never did ‘leave home’. He and the daughter of his stepmother occupied the same home, attended and joined the same church and community activities, and it seemed only natural after a couple of years to start dating. It took a bit of ‘doing’ for at that time Hilbert and Floyd shared the use of the Model T Roadster.

Hilbert being oldest had first choice of week-end nights to ‘go out.’ Spending money was at a premium still during 1934 - 1935. Movies were a luxury, fast foods not yet discovered. ‘Eating Out’ was reserved for noon on shopping days when ‘Lou’s Lunch’ an ‘all, nighter’ on Forest Street, Wausau, turned out a delicious plate lunch special for 25 cents as well as super hamburgers for 10 cents or so alter a ‘night on the town.’ Entertainment closer to home grew in popularity, including many home talent plays. One of these, a popular group, was performing at Ringle’s ‘Daylight Hall.’ To this Floyd and Annie had their first ‘date’ on April 4, 1934. Another entertainment innovation was individual or group singing with guitar. These so called ‘Cowboy Songs’ were the forerunner of present time ‘Country’ and was when Nashville’s ‘Grand Old Opry’ first began it’s radio broadcasts. Neighborhood churches held many socials, dinners and programs. Annie was church organist and accompanist for numerous singing groups. Winter evenings the neighbor fellows would come to play cards and House Parties were held in homes with games, apples, and popcorn. There never seemed to be a lack of things to do and it was a special time when very occasionally Pa handed Floyd the keys to his Buick Sedan, a truly luxury car of that time!

Floyd and Annie became engaged on Valentine’s Day of 1936, and were married in June. It was the first church wedding ceremony performed by their young Pastor and friend Rev. Herman Kregel. Changing tradition a bit, it was an early evening ceremony. Annie having no sister, they chose Wiebe and Ora as their attendants for Floyd had spent much time with his sister both before and after her marriage and often they had included him in their social life. Having no father, Annie walked down the aisle alone in her pretty long white dress. With both bride and groom coming from the same home, the reception was held there with first a picnic type ‘Lap Supper’ and ice cream and wedding cake at midnight. Annie sat at the piano for much of the evening for when relatives gathered there was ‘singing!’ It seemed the entire countryside turned out for the couple’s ‘Chivarie’ with every type noisemaker imaginable! In the barter that followed - Floyd settled on $25, quite a sum at that time and those nights were great for Lottie Gums when the group settled on his store to spend the sum on ‘Treats.’ So, Floyd and Annie stayed on the Geurink farm...

The first year was a hard one for Floyd and Annie. Though the ‘Great Depression’ was easing somewhat with many emergency government programs, the summer of 1936 was another hot dry one. All crops including the usually dependable corn were poor. The good farmland all around was becoming depleted and did not spring back after the drought. The hardy alfalfa was not grown, the theory being that it ‘couldn’t grow in Marathon County!’ Weedlots had been overcut and resulting pastures dried up amidst it’s stumps. The early farmers like Henry scoffed at ‘Farming by the Book’, ‘new ideas’, and ‘County Agents,’ instead relying on tradition and experience. But it was no longer enough. Night classes for farmers were now available, and soil testing, young trees for unsuitable cropland and for wind breaks were available through the County Vo-Ag Extension Services and later the Technical College. Floyd with farmer neighbors sought this advice and services, enrolled in night classes held locally and especially after his sons were old enough to help, the Geurink acres began to undergo a change, with liming of fields so as to indeed grow lush alfalfa crops, strip cropping to prevent water erosion and planting thousands of trees as wind breaks and on otherwise unusable land It was the time of ‘Conservation’ which farmers were now taking seriously. In 1973, Floyd was honored at a Vo-Ag banquet with a Conservation Award and Plaque.

The years between were not easy ones. Until his sons were old enough, Floyd needed hired help. Crop failures now were very few, but the country went through several ‘recessions,’ prices of milk plummeting taxes, machinery and other farm costs rising. Running the farm on halves, owning only the personal property was especially budget draining until 1957 when Henry finally decided to sell the farm to his son. The following years there was extensive remodeling and modernizing of both house and barn with much of the tedious work now mechanized.. .

Floyd and Annie had seven children; Ronald Alan, Carol, Jerry, Charles, Gordon and Sheryl. To say they lived a busy life’ would be an understatement! Farm life was demanding and strenuous but contributed toward healthy bodies. There were few luxuries, but plenty of fun and good food. Providing the latter was just about a full time occupation. The boys as teenagers would drink a quart of milk apiece at one sitting. Cheese and butter 6 pounds at a time came directly from the milk plant. Meat, eggs, potatoes, vegetables and fruit were home grown and home processed by Annie, up to 200 to 300 quarts each year. Flour was purchased in 50 lb. cloth sacks and lasted little more than a month to bake 12 loaves of bread each week. Since an entire load would disappear in one meal, it needed to be supplemented with store bought, pancakes, cornbread and muffins. The 9 x 13 inch chocolate cake and 12 inch pie vanished on a Sunday. Other favorites were home baked beans and ‘Ma Geurink’s Hot Dish!’

All the family were active in the Forestville Country Church. Floyd served as Deacon and a term as church treasurer. After a 12 year interlude, Annie returned to serve as a church organist and helped with choir work and singing groups and played countless wedding marches and music to comfort at memorial services.

She held every office at some time or other in the church’s Womens Groups except treasurer! Mathematics is definitely not ‘her thing!’

The children all in turn became Badger 4-H members. Leaders were sorely needed Annie, with no 4-H background agreed to ‘try it for a year.’ She retired 20 years later! It grew from 2 1 to 75 members, active boys and girls aged 10 to 17. Hectic years of challenge - frustrations, but immense satisfaction! A great sadness came to Floyd and Annie’s family in August of 1956. Alan, the second son at age 18, was killed in an automobile accident along with his cousin, classmate and best friend Dermis Olmsted, on their way home from the County Fair. No one witnessed the accident. It had a profound effect on the entire family and community who dearly loved these popular and loveable young men.

School buses now transported children to both elementary and high school. All of Floyd and Annie’s children ‘rode the bus’ each day to classes and al1 were thoroughly involved in extra-curricular activities. The boys were in sports, mainly Varsity Football and Wrestling while the girls were in Misic, Forensics and Home Economics. Many days and evenings were spent by the family participating in or witnessing these events. 1961 saw the closing of the last one room school to a consolidated district. Floyd was the last treasurer for Easton Center, the school which father Henry helped establish. Having transported children by car or small bus off and on, Floyd began to drive school bus regularly, continuing for a total of 32 years and into his retirement from the farm. In April of 1983 he was honored at a Recognition Night Banquet for State Bus Drivers. He received a Commemorative Plaque, a gift of money, and a complimentary night and breakfast at Best Western’ in Green Bay for Annie and himself, where the event was held.

Now that the family had all ‘left the nest,’ Annie spent numerous days in volunteer sewing at Wausau’s Social Services and calling at Mount View Manors Health Care for the Elderly. She began to do some ‘Homespun’ type writing one aspect of it encouraged by her pastor and his assistant in a feature for the church newsletter Historical Articles and biggest of all an entire script for five part pageant presented at the 75th Anniversary of the Church, now moved to a new setting and the new name of New Hope Community Church.

This was latter revised to book form for a more permanent record of the Congregation’s History. This research and writing was ‘in the making’ for a total of 5 years.

The year 1976 was a memorable milestone in several ways. It was our nation’s ‘Bi-Centennial’ and Floyd and Annie were active in commemorative events in Easton Township and church. The same year they sold the farm to Ted and Marilyn Dulak. Marilyn daughter of Truman the son of John, is a direct descendant of Henry Geurink. So, the farm at this writing remains ‘in the family.’ Floyd and Annie moved into a new house on a plot of the original acres on East Tower Road. Annie’s brother Bud drew up the Cape Cod style house plan and supervised his construction crew with Floyd and Annie’s oldest son Ron as head carpenter. So Floyd left his birthplace in October 1976, but did not go far. They celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary in June of 1986, with family and friends. They find their time well filled, including the extensive travel they once dreamed of. In 1986 they made a second trip to Central Europe and during their six week stay discovered and visited distant Geurink cousins living in the area from which Grandfather Arend John left to ‘seek his fortune’ in America in the 1840’s, and through Henry, his only son established this family and it’s many descendants who now bear the name Geurink, a good name, a good heritage... ’
*Taken from Annie Geurink’s writing, The Geurink’s in Marathon County.

-“Floyd and Ann Geurink, Ringle, will celebrate their 50th anniversary with an open house reception from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall at New hope Community Church, town of Wausau, for friends and relatives. Hosts for the event are their children; Ron and Diane Geurink Gleason; Carol and Roy Johnson, Milwaukee: Jerry and Julie Geurink Whitehall; Chuck and Jean Geurink, Brooklyn; Gordon and Barbara Geurink, Belleville; and Sherry and Vern Hettinga, Mattawan, Mich. A son, Alan, is deceased. There are also 14 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. The Geurinks were married June 17, 1936, at Forestville Reformed Church, town of Easton.” *Taken from a local newspaper.

Historical events during the life of Floyd Geurink:

• the Veterans of Foreign Wars was organized on August 18, 1913;
• birth of Kris Kristofferson on June 22, 1936;
• Joe Louis becomes the heavyweight boxing champion on June 22, 1937;
• birth of Peter Jennings, newscaster on August 29, 1938;
• Ronald Reagan marries Jane Wyman on January 24, 1940;
• birth of Gayle Sayers, Hall of Fame football player on May 30, 1943;
• Dumbarton Oaks Conference took place on August 21, 1944;
• President Truman declares his administration the “Fair Deal” on January 5, 1949;
• Joseph McCarthy goes too far in his attacks and is condemned by the U.S. Senate on December 3, 1954.

Floyd Geurink and Anna (Annie) Holster had the following children:

• + 33 i. Ronald D.4 Geurink was born June 18, 1937
• + 34 ii. Alan Geurink was born Wausau, WI August 10, 1938. Alan died August 16,1956 Wausau, WI, at 18 years of age.

Serving as pallbearers for Mr. Ohmsted were Michael Petterson, James, Warren and Ronald Hettinga, Arthur Dittbrender and Gregory Wilke. Pallbearers for Mr. Geurink were Harold Nauta, Victor TenHaken, and Lloyd, Roger, Henry and Gerald Geurink.

The Ohmsted youth, son of Mr. and Mrs. Claude Ohmsted, Town of Ringle, was driving the car which crashed into a culvert. He died instantly, while the Geurink youth, son of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Geurink, Town of Easton, died several hours after the crash.

• + 35 iii. Carol Joanne Geurink was born January 16, 1940
• + 36 iv. Jerry Geurink was born April 17, 1943
• + 37 v. Charles Geurink was born August 17, 1944
• + 38 vi. Cordon Geurink was born December 22, 1948
• + 39 vii. Sheryl Geurink was born November 26, 1954