17 July 1904 - Grand Haven Daily Tribune, p. 1

Death Came Suddenly

The end came suddenly and without warning to Fred M. Kieft, one of the well known old residents of the city, yesterday afternoon. His body was found in the field at his farm on south Ferry St.,. at about 5 o’clock in the afternoon. Death must have occurred at least two hours before.

Mr. Kieft was in his usual health yesterday noon when he left home to go to his land. He had been working in the morning delivering ice. Otse Fisher has a farm near Mr. Kieft’s and he often rode to town with the latter when the day’s work was done. He intended to ride home with Mr. Kieft yesterday. Fisher noticed that Mr. Kieft’s horse had been standing in the field hitched to a cultivator since 3 in the afternoon, but he supposed that Mr. Kieft had left off cultivating to do other work and thought little of the incident. However, when he walked over to the Kieft farm, he was started to see his friend lying in the sand, and it did not take him long to ascertain that he was dead. The horse and cultivator stood near. Mr. Kieft undoubtedly suffered an attack of the heart while cultivating and dropped dead at his work.

The sad news was conveyed to the family as gently as possible and the body was brought to his home on Fifth St.

Despite the fact that his appearance indicated ruddy, vigorous health, Mr. Kieft has not been entirely well for sometime. He has complained more or less recently of trouble in his chest, but he was a very active man and was constantly employed at his business.

Decedent was a native of the Province of Groningen, the Netherlands, 60 years ago.