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A Geneology Collection by Debbie Mills
Bena Navis
Born: 2/19/1883, Sheboygan Co, WI
Parents: Garret Navis and Hendrika Graven
Siblings: Johanna (1876-1951), Alida (1879-1924), Cynthia (1881-1958), John (Hendrik Jan) (1884-1957), Josephine (1888-1976), George (1892-1916, died of TB age 24)
Marriage: to Henry Ramaker 3/25/1903 Sheboygan Co, WI
Children: Willis (1903), Benjamin (1905), Ellsworth (1914), Helen (1915), Margaret (1927)
Death: 5/17/1964 Sheboygan Co, WI. Bena died at age 81 of complications from diabetes. She had foot gangrene and had been in a diabetic coma for several days before her death.
Obituary:
From the Sheboygan Press, May 18, 1964:
Mrs. Bena Ramaker
Mrs. Bena Ramaker, 81, a life-long resident of the Town of Holland, died early Sunday morning at Sheboygan Memorial Hospital after a short illness.
A native of Town of Holland, she was born Feb. 19, 1883, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Garret Navis, and was married to Henry Ramaker on March 25, 1903. He died Dec. 23, 1945.
She was a member of Hingham Reformed church and it’s Women’s Missionary Society.
Survivors are two daughters, Mrs. Harold (Helen) Siebeling and Mrs. Margaret Ten Pas, both of Kohler; three sons, Willis of Sheboygan Falls, Ben of Adell, Ellsworth of Cedar Grove; ten grandchildren, six great-grandchidren, and a sister, Mrs. Joe Oonk of Oostburg.
Census:
1930 US Census, WI, Sheboygan Co, WI, Holland township:
Henry, age 56, head, lives on a farm, owns property, no radio, age at first marriage 29, born WI, farmer
Bena, age 47, age 20 at first marriage
Benjamin, age 25, born WI, truck driver for oil company
Ellsworth, age 16
Helen, age 15
Margaret, age 3
1920 US Census, WI, Sheboygan Co, Holland township:
Henry Ramaker, age 46, owns property, has mortgage, farmer
Bena, wife, age 36
Willis, son, age 16
Benjamin, age 15
Ellsworth, age 6
Helen, age 5
1910 US census, WI, Sheboygan Co, Lima township:
Henry, age 36, married 7 years, born WI, farmer
Bena, age 27, 2 children born, 2 alive, born WI
Willis F, son, age 6, born WI
Benjamin J., age 5
1900 Wisconsin, Sheboygan Co, Town of Holland (indexed as Nares):
Garret Navis, head, born Feb 1854, age 49, married 23 years, born Holland, both parents born Holland, occupation farmer, year of emmigration 1869, in US 31 years
Henrietta, wife, age 46, born July 1853, married 23 years, 7 children born, 7 living, born WI, parents born Holland; Josephine, daughter, age 12, born Jan. 1888 in WI;
George, son, age 8, born Jan 1892.
Bena is listed at servant in previous household
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