- Date Of Birth: September 3, 1926
- Date Of Death: August 9, 2011
- State: Iowa
Robert L. Van Ryswyk, son of Arie and Irene (Vande Lune) Van Ryswyk, passed away Tuesday, August 9, 2011, at the Hospice of Pella Comfort House at the age of eighty-four. He was born September 3, 1926, on the family farm south of Prairie City. He received his early education in the Prairie City area, graduated from Prairie City High School and the Iowa Barber College.
On June 30, 1953, Bob was united in marriage with Grace M.
On May 1, 1955, the family moved to Pella where Bob owned and operated Bob’s (Herrenkapper) Barber Shop. He retired June 30, 1991, after barbering for thirty-nine years.
Bob was a Navy combat veteran in World War II and served as a Gunner’s Mate 3/C aboard the destroyer, U.S.S. Ammen-DD-527 during the battle of Okinawa in 1945.
Making life enjoyable were his hobbies: woodworking, woodcarving, collecting presidential campaign buttons, and preparing scrapbooks with newspaper articles and pictures of each president from President Woodrow Wilson to President George W. Bush, which he later donated to the Pella Christian High School History Department.
Taking advantage of a special time of his health’s uncertainty, Bob was inspired to paint his future home the song “By the Sea of Crystal” a prepared place.
Bob is survived by his wife, Grace, of fifty-seven years; son Paul Van Ryswyk of Ankeny, Iowa, and his two boys: Jonathan of Des Moines, Iowa, and David and his daughter Addison of Colorado Springs, Colorado; daughter Ruth (Mark) Sonnenberg of Springfield, Missouri, and their two boys: Ben of Kansas City, Missouri, and Alex (Lindsey) from Springfield, Missouri; Mary (Carl) Beukelman of Pella and their five children: Michelle of Des Moines, Iowa, Adam currently serving in the Navy, Lauren, Sarah, and Luke all of Pella; two brothers, Don Van Ryswyk of Aurora, Colorado, and Art (Betty) Van Ryswyk of Prairie City, Iowa; sister, Doris (Charles) Longsdon of St. Petersberg, Florida; brother-in-law, Bob Samson of Newton, Iowa; eleven nieces and one nephew.
Those preceding him in death are his parents, Arie and Irene Van Ryswyk; great-granddaughter, Alexis R. Sonnenberg; an infant sister, Alice Ruth; sister, Alice (Bob) Samson; sister-in-law, Doris (Don) Van Ryswyk; two nephews: Dennis J. Van Ryswyk and Steven Samson.
Bob’s life was blessed with the riches flowing from Psalm 46.
10:30 A.M. Saturday, August 13, 2011
Pella, Iowa
Begins at Noon on Friday, August 12, 2011
with family present 6:00 – 8:00 P.M.
Pella, Iowa
MEMORIALS
Hospice of Pella or
a charity of your choice
Military honors by American Legion Post #89
Pella, Iowa
