My father was John J. HURWITZ. His parents came from Eastern Europe to Chicago, where Dad was born, and then settled in Sumner, Iowa. All that is known of the family is that one or more children were born in Europe,and that one brother came with my father to America. Dad had three brothrs and twosisters. His sisters are Mrs. John REBERTUS of Pella, Iowa, and Mrs. Normal FALCON of Springfield, Iowa. All of the boys in the family are deceased.

My father spent one year, 1919, in Clio, Iowa, then he moved to Fredericka. We moved to Tingley in 1924, where my father was superintendent of schools. This was the year my sister was born. From 1933 to 1937, my father was superintendent of schools at Benton. After leaving Benton, we moved

teaching years at Carthage, Illinois, where he taught in Carthage College and Robert Morris College. Counting his time in the Army, Dad spent over sixty years in education.

My father passed away in January [21] of 1979 at eighty-five years of age. During his last years, he had the opportunity to do what he liked best, and that was to teach. His main hobby was fishing. He belonged to such organizations as: Masonic, through and including the Shrine; Disabled American Veterans; Legion; Odd Fellows; Kiwanis; Methodist Church; and a host of educational organizations.

My mother was born Pauline Hazel BAXTER [July 27] in 1898 in Fredericka, Iowa [the daughter of Gordon N. and Hannah (HENRY) BAXTER]. Her family were mainly Scotch-Irish, although there were some Holland Dutch, Swedes, English, and assorted characters thrown in. Members of her family were involved in all, or most all, of our wars, from the Revolutionary on. Her father was a farmer and a tiler; he married a widow with four children, and together they had my mother and brother. Her brother was in the Sea B's during World War II.

Mom attended a rural school and spent some time at Iowa Teacher's College. She now lives in Carthage, Illinois. Although approaching ninety, she does her own work and loves to travel. She belongs to the Eastern Star, Rebekah Lodge, Legion Auxiliary, Methodist Church, bridge clubs, and so on. Her hobbies are playing bridge, cooking, reading, and traveling. She is the last surviving member of her family.

My sister, Helen Jean, was born in Fredericka, Iowa. She graduated from high school at Cantril, Iowa, and attended Bloomfield Junior College. During the war she married Paul DOMINGUEZ from California, and they had two children, Jennie and and also works in restaurants in Oelwein.

Helen passed away in 1963 in Carthage, Illinois. At the time of her death, she was married to Lloyd STARR, an attorney. Helen, like my mother, enjoyed playing the piano and singing.

I, John HURWITZ, graduated from Benton in 1937, graduated from Iowa Wesleyan in 1946, received an M.A. from Iowa in 1951, and have attended other school, such as Illinois and Northern Illinois. I have taught school 46 years, everything from being superintendent of elementary schools in Carthage, to teaching college.

I married Alice Jean DUMENIL in 1941; she passed away in 1975. I then married Alice Virginia (YATES) HOLT [October 22] 1976. I spent some time in the service; first as a reserve and later in the Air Force. I volunteered for active service, but failed my physical; in this case, it was my eyes.

I have a daughter, Debora Jaleen, who teaches in an alternative high school. She and her husband have two children. They have a boy who is a junior in high school and a girl who is in the sixth grade. Debora's family is talented and musical.

My wife is a native of Monroe City, Missouri, and comes from a large family. She graduated from Gem City Business College in Quincy. Presently she is an administrative assistant at the local W.I.E.C., an electrical cooperative. She has three children who are C.P.A.'s and one daughter who is at home.

At present, I am a principal for two hours a day at a small school in the country. (We have all of the first and second graders, as well as pre-school.) I can only work two hours and draw my pension.

I belong to various educational groups and hold life memberships in N.E.A. and P.T.A. Also, this year I am president of both the Hancock County Red Cross and the local Lions Club. My wife and I are members of the Catholic Church in Carthage. My main hobby is fishing; my wife's main hobby is convincing me that yard work, washing cars, mowing lawns, etc. are more beneficial than fishing. Her employers tell me that they could not get along without her; my employers do not tell me that.

Seriously, my family and I enjoyed our years in Benton. There were only six in my graduating class, and, although I attended a fairly large university, I felt my education in Benton had prepared me for any school. I still picture Benton as it was and not as it now is.

NOTE: John J. HURWITZ, son of Isidore and Olga (BAUK) HURWITZ, served as a Coporal with the U.S. Army during World War I. Pauline H. (BAXTER) HURWITZ passed away on January 5, 1996.

John Gordon HURWIZ, son of John J. and Pauline H. (BAXTER), was born September 30, 1919, and died in Carthage, Illinois on August 31, 1996. The epitaph on his gravestone reads, "Gone Fishing."

They were interred at Moss Ridge Cemetery, Carthage, Illinois.

SOURCE: 1887 - Benton, Iowa Centennial - 1987. Pp. 201-02. Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library, Mount Ayr IA

Transcriptions and notes by Sharon R. Becker, October of 2012

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