52 Ancestors Wk 7 - Vital DeValkeneer

Vital DeValkeneer was born on Christmas Day, 1897 in Gilly, Belgium. At the age of 14 he immigrated to the US with is family. His father and older brother came first, then the rest came a few months later. They came into America in Apr 1912 on the S. S. Carmania sailing from Liverpool, England. They immediately moved to Pennsylvania.

In 1920 they became naturalized citizens, through his father Cyrille's application. At the time he was working as a coal miner along with several of his brothers. Then in 1922 he married Adele Piraux, the daughter of other Belgian immigrants. By this time he was a barber, and by the 1930 census he owned a barbershop. Then during the depression he ended up going back to work in the coal mines and in the 1940 census is listed as a coal operator.

He lived in Pennsylvania for many years, until a few months prior to his death when moved to West Virginia to be closer to his children. He died in Wierton, WV on 16 Mar 1965, from lung cancer (probably because of years in the coal mines)

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Parents:
Cyrille DeValkeneer (1856-1941)
Maria Francisca Heiremans (1858-1934)

Siblings:
Joseph DeValkeneer (1880-1966)
Maria Josepha DeValkeneer (1882-?)
Louis Andre DeValkeneer (1883-1971)
Cecilia Marie DeValkeneer (DeCook) (1886-1971)
Maria Celestina DeValkeneer (DeRicter) (1887-?)
Marie Louise DeValkeneer (Vandenderg) (1890-1974)
Victor DeValkeneer (1892-1975)
Camille Peter DeValkeneer (1895-1962)
Jeanne Helene DeValkeneer (1899-1900)
Alfred Joseph DeValkeneer (1902-1979)

Spouse: Adele Pireaux (1903-1940)

Children:
Frances Erma DeValkeneer (1923-1979)
Alma Celestine DeValkeneer (1930-1980)
Marlene Magdalene DeValkeneer (1934-2008)
Donald Eddie DeValkeneer (1938-2015)