Van Gorp, Vernon P. – 1918–2011

COGLEY, DAHM, DE HEER, HENSLEY, HOKSBERGEN, JONES, LEYDENS, MARINUS, MC KIBBIN, MENNINGA, TERLOUW, VAN DYKE, VAN EE, VAN GORP, VAN STEENIS, VANDER HART, VANDER HORST, VANDER PEUT, VANDER WILT

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 5/1/2011 at 19:25:48

Vernon P. Van Gorp, 92, died Saturday, April 23, 2011, at the Hospice of Pella Comfort House in Pella.
A funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 27, at the First Reformed Church in Pella with interment following at the Oakwood Cemetery in Pella. Visitation will begin Tuesday morning at Van Dyk-Duven Funeral Home in Pella, and the family will greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the First Reformed Church.
Source: Newton Daily News; Monday, April 25, 2011

Additional information from Van Dyk-Duven Funeral Home website:
Vernon Peter Van Gorp was born on August 25, 1918, in the Sandridge vicinity near Pella, Iowa. He was the youngest of seven children that were born to Peter G. and Wouzina Terlouw Van Gorp. His parents were farming in the Sandridge vicinity north of Pella, when his father, Peter, passed away when Vernon was just 5 years of age. Vernon completed the 8th grade at the Sandridge Country Grade School and continued to live on the farm with his mother, Wouzina, and his older siblings. At an early age he began to farm which proved to be a lifelong, fulfilling occupation.
On July 31, 1940, he was united in marriage with Dorothy Mae Menninga, an only child of Yella N. and Mary De Heer Menninga. They were married at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa and to this union four children were born: Shirley Marlene, Loren Lee, Barbara Beth and Peter Verle. Vernon and Dorothy and their four children continued to live on his parent’s farm with his mother until she moved into Pella. He and his brother, Clarence Van Gorp, farmed together for many years until they each purchased a portion of the farm, which eventually became a Century Farm.
Vernon and Dorothy took great joy in having all of the their children and grandchildren at the farm, until the time of her unexpected death on February 3, 1994, in Phoenix, Arizona at the age of 73 years. On February 28, 2000, Vernon married Iola Vander Wilt and they made their home together on her farm near Leighton, Iowa. Although they resided there together, Vernon kept his farm home, now referred to as his ‘cabin’, and went there weekly. Vernon and Iola also enjoyed antique cars and were members of the Dutch Masters Auto Club, driving their 1939 Plymouth.
Vernon’s family has grown to include his wife, Iola Vander Wilt of Leighton, Iowa and his four children and their families. They are:
Shirley and Byron Van Ee of Pella, Iowa and their family includes: Michael and Kristi Van Ee and Travis and Stephanie Van Ee; Amanda Cogley and Crysta, Cayden, Caylee, Conner and Collin; David and Donna Van Ee and Bradley, Julie; Brenda and David Vander Horst and Zachary, Jacob; Loren and Judy (Dahm) VanGorp of New Sharon, Iowa and their family includes: Steven Van Gorp and Tylor, Paige; Scott and Stacy Van Gorp and Brooke, Schyler; Shawn and Michelle Van Gorp and Garret, Colby; Stacy and Josh Harper and Kyler; Barbara Vander Hart of Independence, Iowa and family includes: Josh and Jody Vander Hart and Sean, Lucas, Colin; Courtney and Joe McKibbin; Verle and Gayle (Leydens) Van Gorp of Knoxville, Iowa and their family includes: Amy and Shane Jones and Jackson; Adam and Lauren Van Gorp and Reagan, Macy.
Iola’s family consists of her three children: Gloria and Al Vander Peut and their two children, Todd and Brenna of Sedona, Arizona; Mark Vander Wilt of Oskaloosa, Iowa; Judy Hensley and her three children, Steele, Troy and Heather of Branson, Missouri. Vernon was the last surviving member of his original family. He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy; his parents, Peter G. and Wouzina Van Gorp; his parents-in-law, Yella N. and Mary Menninga; and all his brothers and sisters and their husbands: Garrit D. Van Gorp, John R. and Dorothy Van Gorp, Clarence S. Van Gorp and his wives, Helene VanGorp and Florence (Van Steenis) Van Gorp, M. Lester and Marge Van Gorp, Marie C. (Arthur) Hoksbergen, Martha J. and her husbands, Paul Van Dyke and Arthur Hoksbergen.
When Vernon was a young child his parents were members of the Peoria Christian Reformed Church at Peoria, Iowa when the church was destroyed by fire. Subsequently he was baptized in a barn and eventually was a member of the Bethany Reformed Church until the church disbanded. For many years and at the present time he had been a faithful member of the First Reformed Church in Pella, Iowa.
Memorials may be designated for the Hospice of Pella Comfort House in Pella, IA.