Henry Joachim Kruetzfeldt was born in Krokau, Probstei, Schleswig Holstein, Germany on August 2, 1855, and passed this life shortly after noon on August 6, 1940, at the home of his daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Detlef Wiese east of Vail, at the age of 85 years and 4 days.

The aged man had been quite despondent for some time and relatives fearing that he might do something rash, kept a close watch over him. However, on Tuesday afternoon as the men folks were in the field and Mrs. Wiese was washing, the old gentleman who was sitting on the lawn, stole silently away. A couple of children playing about the yard noticed his absence and started out to search for him and found him hanging in the corn crib. They called Mr. Wiese who hurried out but he had already succumbed. He was united in marriage to Miss Ida Catherine Wellendorf at Roepsdorf, Holstein, Germany, in 1881 and came to the United States in 1883, settling in Clinton County, Iowa. They moved to Crawford County in 1894 near Manning. In 1921 they moved to Aspinwall where they lived until the death of his wife in 1925. Since the death of his wife he made his home with his children and for awhile with his granddaughter, Mrs. Herman Linberg in Vail. He has been with his daughter, Mrs. Detlef Wiese the last several months.

He always had good health and lived a vigorous and industrious life was a prominent and success farmer. He was confirmed in the Lutheran church in Germany and after moving to Crawford County became a member of the German Evangelical church at Westside.

He is survived by two sons, Emil Kruetzfeldt, Haynes, N. Dak.; Harry Kruetzfeldt now of Coon Rapids, Iowa; two daughters, Mrs. Alma Wiese, Vail, Iowa; and Mrs. Minnie Goettsch, Flandreau, S. Dak., twenty-five grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

Funeral services were held at the Vail Presbyterian Church at ten o'clock Friday morning with burial beside his wife in the Hayes Township cemetery.
Pallbearers were six of his grandchildren: Leslie, George, Raymond, Elmer, Alvin and Leonard Wiese.