Grace (Van Wyk) Van Gorp

Grace Van Gorp, 90, of Newton, formerly of Sully, died on Wednesday, December 6, 2017, at Newton Village Healthcare.  A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, December 11, 2017, at the First Reformed Church in Sully.  The family will greet friends from 2-4 p.m., Sunday, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory in Newton.  Memorials to the Sully First Reformed Church, the Iowa Commission for the Blind, or the Alzheimer’s Association may be left at the funeral home or the church the day of the service.

The journey of life for Grace (Van Wyk) Van Gorp began on March 1, 1927 at home on a farm near Peoria, Iowa.  Their house had formerly been just a log cabin with the house built around it.  Grace enjoyed sharing the story when the house part was torn down years later, the log cabin was moved to the Pella Historical Village.  The second oldest of 11 children born to Cornelius “Cornie” and Artje “Artie” (Van Maanen) Van Wyk, she attended Fleming School in Mahaska County and graduated from the 8th grade.  Grace loved the outdoors and her father joked she should have been a boy.  So as his chore boy, he nicknamed her “Carl” and taught her how to drive the horses, fix fence, and later to drive a car.  In 1946 she met the love of her life, Eldred Van Gorp, on a Sunday night in Pella and on February 14, 1950 they were married at the church parsonage in Sully with a reception at her parents’ home.  They rented a farm near Reasnor and were blessed with a son, Verlan Ernest and a daughter, Sheryl “Sherry” Ardith.  Grace loved every minute on the farm – the milk cows, stock cows and calves, and the stinky pigs.  But she really was a chicken gal – raising them from cute little fuzzy chicks to laying hens and butcher broilers.  Her huge beautiful flower and vegetable garden kept her busy but happy.  In 1979 when their farm was sold, they moved to Sully.  With their hearts still on the farm, they transitioned to “town life” and Grace had several part-time jobs until she found her perfect one – working at the brand new Casey’s store.  A faithful employee of 30+ years she was able to do several of her favorite things – make coffee, chat and laugh with friends and make new ones, drink coffee with those friends, play jokes on them, work in the kitchen, clean, and wash the Casey’s aprons and towels.  When her health no longer allowed her to work in the store, she kept on as their employee doing the laundry at home where she could often be seen hanging it all outside to dry.  She was a remarkable baker and cook and many family, friends, and neighbors were blessed this talent.  Her grandkids knew they could always find yummy cookies in Grandma Gorp’s freezer.  She loved her family dearly and cherished the yearly Minnesota fishing trip memories.  When her Alzheimer’s progressed to needing more care, Grace and Eldred moved to Newton Village Assisted March 2013.  They enjoyed meeting new friends and all the activities together.  When pneumonia escalated her disease April 2015, Grace moved to Newton Village Long Term Care.  She dearly loved her Saviour and professed her faith and was a member of Sully First Reformed Church, where she taught Bible School and helped in the kitchen. 

Those left to honor her memory include her husband of 67 years, Eldred, two children: Verlan (Michelle) Van Gorp and Sheryl “Sherry” (Alan) Vander Linden; six grandchildren: Ami (Eric) Burns, Tony (Ellen) Vander Linden, Scott Van Gorp, Eric (Janell) Van Gorp, Amber (Chad) Watters and Ashley (Marshal) Wissler and ten great-grandchildren; one brother, Arvin (Anna Mae) Van Wyk; seven sisters, Gertrude “Trudy” Wehrle, June (Ron) Kramer, Joyce (Carl) De Goey, Darlene (Harris) Vos, Helen (Verlan) Brand, Carolyn Vande Voort, Judy (Ed) Van Kooten; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Carroll (Lois) Van Gorp, Wanda (Marion) Willemsen, and Charlotte (Jerry) Damman; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Robert and Celia Van Gorp; brothers, Harvey Gene in infancy and Walter Van Wyk; brothers-in-law, Raymond Wehlre, Larry Vande Voort, Laverne Van Gorp, Sr.; sisters-in-law, Harriet Van Wyk, and Jean Van Gorp; grandson in infancy, granddaughter, Heidi Van Gorp; and great granddaughter, Emerson, in infancy. 

Grace passed peacefully to her eternal Home last Wednesday at the age of 90 with her faithful husband and daughter by her side.  Her beautiful smile will be truly missed by her family and anyone who knew her.

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