Bertha L. Van Wyk

Bertha L. Van Wyk, 93, of Monroe died Tuesday, April 1, 2014, at Pella Regional Health Center.

A funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 5, at the First Baptist Church in Monroe. Burial will follow at Silent City Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 4, at the church. The family will greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Memorials may be directed to the Gideon's and condolences may be left for the family at www.coburnfuneralhomes.com.

The daughter of Dirk and Emma (Dieleman) Van Zomeren, Bertha was the youngest of three children. She was born at home on Jan. 28, 1921, in Marion County. Bertha completed the eighth grade and at an early age began working with families in the area. She stayed in their home, cared for their children, and did light house work. On Nov. 5, 1939, she was united in marriage to Willis R. Van Wyk and begin her lifetime career as a farmer’s wife and mother. In March 1, 1940, they moved to their farm west of Monroe where she lived until being hospitalized on March 9, 2014. She had lived on the farm for 74 years, working side by side with her husband for sixty-three and one half years. At a young age, she accepted Christ as her personal Savior. She was a member of the Monroe First Baptist Church where she enjoyed serving her Lord and Savior. Bertha taught Sunday school for many years, served in the AWANA program, played in the bell choir, served on many committees and assisted in the planning of the new church building in 1966. She loved sharing her home with family, friends, visiting missionaries, and anyone who stopped by for coffee time. There was always plenty of food in the house and of course Gold ‘N’ Nugit ice cream bars in the freezer for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s delight. Throughout her life, Bertha was faithful in reading her Bible and devotions, Our Daily Bread. When she began to have difficulty reading her Bible, Bertha insisted that her caretakers read her Bible and devotions to her each evening. In fact, her Bible was being read to her when she left this life and went to be with her Savior.

Those left to honor her memory include her children, Dr. Kenneth (Pat) Van Wyk of Pella, Janice (Hugh) Elrod of Prairie City, and Roy (Claudia) Van Wyk of Monroe; 10 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death were her parents; her brother, Wilbur Van Zomeren; her sister, Jeannette Templer; her beloved husband, Willis in 2003; a grandson, Hugh Scott Elrod in 1966; and a granddaughter, Jacquelyn Van Wyk Gosnell in 2011.