Chris Vestre, Des Moines, when did he die?

[Jaba]

The Norwegian Kristen Haakull, born February 7th 1887, went to the US 1908, married his Norwegian second cousin Louise Vestre 1909 and became Chris Vestre in census 1910. I can't find him later, and I believe he died before 1925. His wife is mentioned Louise Westreet in census 1920, she is then divorced. There is therefore a possibility that Chris later called himself Haakull, Hokel. Can anyone tell me when he died?
jaba.

[AMBLY]

Hi Jaba

He Registered for the WW1 Draft:

Des Moins, Polk, Iowa 5 Jun 1917
Christ VESTRE age 30, Carpenter
DoB: 7 Feb 1887, Norway
Citizen US Status: Declarant (US), Citizen of Norway
Address: 1324 Lyon St, Des Moines
Married, with wife & two children
Medium Height & Build, Blue Eyes, Brown Hair

Cheers
AMBLY

[shellyesq]

1917 Des Moines city directory
Vestre Christ, carpenter W F Mitchell Co., resides 1324 e Vine

There are possible entries for Louise is in Des Moines city directories in 1919 and in the 1920's, sometimes as widow of Christ and sometimes just Mrs. Louise Vestre or Vestry.  Sometimes, women are listed in these as widowed when the husband is really elsewhere, so he may still be alive at that point.

[Jaba]

He Registered for the WW1 Draft:
Des Moins, Polk, Iowa 5 Jun 1917

Does that mean that he took part in fights? Maybe he died during the war? That should be possible to find out. Thank you, Ambly.
shellyesq: thank you. I think it would fit very well if she was widowed in 1919, so that might be right this time. But we still don't know, do we ...

[shellyesq]

All men of a certain age were required to register for the draft if they weren't already in the military.  It doesn't indicate one way or the other if he served.  You can see the image of the card here - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-26344-19806-46?cc=1968530

I thought this may have been another child of his - http://www.rootschat.com/links/0z2k/

[jorose]

Louise seems to consistently list herself as "divorced" in 1920 and 1930 censuses - rather than widowed.
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MDM4-PB6
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XMV2-GLK

For this to be true - either she married soon after his death, then quickly divorced before 1920, or she divorced (or just separated) from Chris.  I think the latter is more likely - remembering that all her neighbours could have seen her in the city directories.

Could you give both his parents' full names (including any variants that you know of)? - we might pick him up on a death record that way.

[shellyesq]

It looks like the surname Young is on Louise's gravestone:  http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Vestre&GSiman=1&GScid=94875&GRid=78731149&

I see an obituary for her son Gilbert, but I don't see the name Young mentioned for him.  I see two marriage records, city directory entries, veterans' information, and an entry of the Social Security death index for Gilbert with the surname Vestre. 

[shellyesq]

A 1917 birth for Louise & Chris Vestre - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XVXP-1JP  Also - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VRZB-XVP  Perhaps that's the daughter who died in 1918 mentioned above.

Louise described herself as widowed on a 1933 passenger list - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-21930-22001-80?cc=1923888

There is a marriage record for Bertha Louise Vestre & Peter Young in Des Moines in 1937.  It says it was her 2nd marriage.

[Jaba]

Could you give both his parents' full names (including any variants that you know of)? - we might pick him up on a death record that way.

Kristen (Chris) was the son of (mother) Ragnhild Kristine Litlaskog (US: Lilleskau/Lillescan) born 1863 and her husband Gudmund Haakull / Hokel, born 1851, both in Norway. In Norway Chris would have been called Chris Gudmundsson (son of Gudmund).

Thank you all for splenid help so far! I did not know about Chris 3rd child, and I did not know that Louisa married again. Their oldest son, Gilbert, married also twice; Elizabeth La Nore Williams (March 29th 1933, Adel City) and Blanche York (September 16th 1942, Lancaster City), but I don't think there were children in neither marriage.
His sister was Katherine Marie Vestre, born August 31st 1913, married to and devorced from Charles Evans. She got two boys. I hope to find them when visiting US this summer.