Van Dalen, Valeta Fern (Gifford) 1921-2003

VAN DALEN, GIFFORD, SCARBROUGH

Posted By: volunteer (email)
Date: 10/28/2005 at 22:03:06

Valeta Fern Van Dalen, 81, of rural Newton died of heart failure Thursday, June 26, at St. Francis Manor in Grinnell.

Funeral services will be held Monday at 10:30 a.m. at the Pence-Reese Funeral Home, 310 N. 2nd Ave. E. in Newton, with the Rev. Duane Skidmore of the Reasnor Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be at Mt. Zion Cemetery in rural Newton.

Friends may call Sunday from 4:30 until 6:30 p.m. at the funeral home where the family will be available from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Memorials will be accepted in her name, to Gideon's International or to the Reasnor Methodist Church.

The daughter of Henry D. and Marie (Scarbrough) Gifford, she was born Aug. 9, 1921, in rural Killduff. She was a graduate of Newton Senior High School. On Aug. 9, 1941, she married G. Wayne Van Dalen near Killduff. She was a cook at the Christian Conference Center in rural Newton and an inspector at Delongs' Sports Wear in Grinnell.

Mrs. Van Dalen was a former member of the Mt Zion Church in rural Newton, Gideon's Association, Jasper County Farm Bureau and a 4-H leader for several years.

Survivors include her husband; two sons and daughters-in-law, Larry and Fern Van Dalen and Lehrl Van Dalen and Judy Brodersen, all of Monroe; a daughter, Barbara Hickey of Knoxville; three grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; three sisters, Grace Mackerman of Newton, Virginia Kleinendorst of California and Wyonne Sylvester of Colorado; two brothers, Clinton Gifford of Kellogg and Vernon Gifford of Missouri; and several foster children.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a daughter, Lois Beth, and a sister, Jessie Murphy.

The Newton Daily News, Saturday, June 28, 2003