- Date Of Birth: March 1, 1927
- Date Of Death: December 6, 2017
- State: Iowa
Grace Van Gorp, 90, of Newton, formerly of Sully, died on Wednesday, December 6, 2017, at Newton Village Healthcare.
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.
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.
