Van Wyk, Martin – 1914-2008

DEGROOT, DEZWARTE, HUYSER, MATHES, MONSMA, VANDALEN, VANDEKROL, VANDERPOL, VANDERWILT, VANDERZYL, VANWYK

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 5/19/2008 at 14:03:19

DES MOINES — Martin Van Wyk, 93, died Friday, May 9, 2008.
Funeral services were today, May 12, at the Chapel of VanDyk-Duven Funeral Home in Pella with the Rev. Ralph Sprunk officiating.
Burial was in the Sully Cemetery in Sully.
Source: Newton Daily News; Monday, May 12, 2008

Martin Van Wyk was born on November 29, 1914, in Jasper County south of Sully, Iowa. He was the fourth of six children that were born to Henry J. and Christina Mathes Van Wyk. Martin graduated from the Taylor Country Grade School and was the Lynn Grove Township Spelling Bee Winner during his 6th grade. Martin met Marjorie Grace Vander Wilt at a church bazaar. On December 29, 1938, they were united in marriage at the home of her parents, Garret and Ena Monsma Vander Wilt. To this union three daughters were born: Joyce Elaine, Rosalie Iris and Fern Louise. Martin and Marjorie began farming his parents farm just east of Sully following their marriage and later purchased a farm south of there. Martin was a self-employed farmer all his working life, growing crops and raising livestock for 46 years. In November of 1984 he retired and they purchased a home in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Martin and Marjorie lived there until 2001 when they became residents at Fair Haven East in Pella, Iowa. They resided there until becoming residents at the Heather Manor in Des Moines, Iowa in 2003. Martin and Marjorie were residents there the remainder of their lifetimes. Marjorie passed away there on December 22, 2004 and Martin passed away there early Friday morning, May 9, 2008, at the advanced age of 93 years, 5 months and 10 days. Martin shared his self-acquired gifts as a church, community and institutional leader in many and several capacities during his lifetime. As an infant he was baptized at the First Reformed Church in Sully where he made profession of his faith in 1939. He served several terms on the consistory as an Elder and as an officer, Sunday School teacher and mid-week teacher. He had been a Lynn Grove Township Trustee, served on the Junction Country School Board and the Lynnville/Sully School Board. Martin was very involved with the re-organization of the Lynnville/Sully School District. He served on the boards of the Sully Telephone Company in Sully and the Christian Opportunity Center in Pella, Iowa. Most recently he became a faithful Gideon. Martin served the Gideon’s International on both local and state boards. His Gideon’s work was paramount to Martin and in spite of all his involvements he enjoyed doing woodworking and traveling. Those who will cherish his memory are two daughters and their husbands, 7 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson. They are: Rosalie I. and Carroll De Zwarte of West Des Moines, Iowa; Fern L. and Larry Van Dalen of Monroe, Iowa. Of his original family Martin leaves two sisters: Jeanetta and her husband, Fred De Groot of Mitchellville, Iowa and Margaret (Huyser) Vande Krol of Sully, Iowa; and a sister-in-law, Nellie (Vander Wilt) Van Wyk of Pella, Iowa. Martin was preceded in death by his wife, Marjorie, his oldest daughter, Joyce Elaine, who died at the age of 11 years on March 7, 1952; his parents, Henry J. and Christina Van Wyk; his parents-in-law, Garret and Ena Vander Wilt; two sisters and their husbands, Tressie and Walter Vander Zyl, Wilma and John Arthur Vander Pol; his brother and his wife, Henry M. and Pearl Van Wyk; and four brothers-in-law: Lester Huyser, Russell Vande Krol, Kenneth Vander Wilt and Bert Van Wyk. Martin was baptized as an adult at the Church of the Nazarene in Oskaloosa, Iowa in 1975 where he remained a faithful member the remainder of his life. Martin loved his family very much. He was respected by those closest to him as having a fervent love for his Savior, Jesus Christ. He will be remembered as an inspiring family leader and mentor. We will miss him for who he was and what he stood for.
Source: VanDyk-Duven website