Elizabeth Johnna (Van Dyke) DE KRUYFF

DE KRUYFF, VAN DYKE, BANDSTRA, NIBBELINK, VANDE KIEFT, DEN HARTOG, VAN GENDEREN, BLOMMERS, DE PENNING, JACOBS, HOKSBERGEN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/29/2017 at 00:21:50

November 20, 1916 ---- August 20, 2002

Funeral services for Elizabeth De Kruyff, 85, formerly of Otley, were held Friday, August 23, 2002 at the Otley Reformed Church in Otley, the Rev. Vance Elzinga, officiating. Music was provided by organist Marilyn De Kruyff. Mr. Carl Horman and Mr. Francis Van Dusseldorp were the ushers. Interment was at Sully Cemetery in Sully. Casket bearers were her "Sons": Bill De Kruyff, Junior De Kruyff,-"grandsons": Brian De Kruyff, Duane De Kruyff, Daryl De Kruyff, and Thomas De Kruyff.

Elizabeth Johanna Van Dyke was born on November 20, 1916 at Albia, a daughter of Cornelius R. (Case) and Kathryn (Kate) Bandstra Van Dyke. She attended grade school in Albia and graduated from the eighth grade in Kellogg. Being from a large family of eleven children, she helped her father with many of the outdoor chores and picked a lot of corn by hand. Elizabeth loved her Lord at a young age and made profession of her faith at the Sully Reformed Church in Sully.

On December 14, 1937, she was united in marriage with Peter De Kruyff at her parent's home near Kellogg. To this union five children were born: Billy, James Henry, Helen Louise, Peter R., and Paul. Following their marriage, Elizabeth and Peter farmed near Sully for four years and then moved to Kellogg where they lived and farmed for eleven years. In 1953 the family moved to a farm near Otley where they lived until 1969. It was at this time that they moved into Otley. During all these years, Elizabeth was a devoted homemaker and faithfully assisted her husband and cared for her family.

On July 31, 1974 her husband, Peter, passed away at their residence in Otley at the age of 60 years. Following his unexpected death, Elizabeth continued to live in Otley until September of 2001. Due to her declining health at this time she went to live with her son, Bill, and his wife, Marilyn, near Kanawha. They faithfully cared for her until she became a resident at the Kanawha Community Home at Kanawha on August 13. On Tuesday afternoon, August 20, 2002 she passed away suddenly at the Hancock County Memorial Hospital in Britt, Iowa at the age of 85 years and 9 months. Elizabeth endured untimely deaths during her lifetime. Her son, Jim, passed away on July 31, 1997 at the age of 57 years; her son, Paul, on July 10, 2000 at the age of just 48 years, and a granddaughter, Brenda LeAnn De Kruyff who passed away in August of 1993 at the age of 23 years.

Elizabeth was a member of the Otley Reformed Church in Otley. Her life centered around her precious family. Each one was so dear to her and she took special interest in each of their lives. Her simple faith sustained her through her difficult struggles in life.

She is survived by her two sons and their wives: Bill and Marilyn Nibbelink De Kruyff of Kanawha, and Peter R. and Marie Vande Kieft De Kruyff of Otley; a daughter, Helen L., and her husband, Cornie Den Hartog of Pella; two daughters-in-law: Lila (James H.) Van Genderen De Kruyff of Otley, and Judith (Paul) Blommers De Kruyff of Pella; eleven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Elizabeth was the last surviving member of her original family leaving just one sister-in-law, Martha (Paul Van Dyke) Hoksbergen, presently a resident in the Long Term Care Unit at the Pella Regional Health Center in Pella. She was preceded in death by her husband, Peter, her two sons: James H. and Paul; a granddaughter, Brenda De Kruyff; her parents: Case and Kate Van Dyke; her eight brothers: Jacob, who died in infancy, Jacob, Paul and Benjamin Van Dyke, twins: Geert and Henry, Gert Van Dyke, her youngest baby brother who also died in infancy; and her two sisters: Gertrude (Paul) De Penning and Cornelia (Delbert) Jacobs. Arrangements were handled by Van Dyk - Duven Funeral Home in Pella. Memorials may be made to the Otley Reformed Church in Otley.

The Pella Chronicle -- Pella, Iowa
September 3, 2002