Gertrude Van Ryswyk, 98, of Prairie City, passed away Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, at MercyOne in Newton. Funeral services will be held Saturday, Oct. 12, at 10:30 a.m. at Prairie City First Reformed Church. Burial will follow at Waveland Cemetery. Visitation will take place on Friday, Oct. 11, from 2-7 p.m. at the church. The family will be present to greet friends from 5-7 p.m. Memorials may be directed to the First Reformed Church Mission Fund and condolences may be left for the family at coburnfuneralhomes.com.
The daughter of Berend “Ben” and Jacoba (Vander Craats) Snetselaar, Gertrude was born June 13, 1921, in Fairview Township. Feb. 1, 1944, she was united in marriage to Dick G. Van Ryswyk in Altoona. Gertrude was a member of the First Reformed Church in Prairie City. She, along with her husband, farmed west of Prairie City until his passing in 1979, and she continued to live there until 1996. She enjoyed gardening, growing flowers, playing Skip-Bo, and cutting quilt blocks.
Those left to honor her memory include her three daughters: Dorothy Ann (Gary) Van Genderen of Lynnville, Mary Louise (Alvin) Fopma of Grinnell, and Judy Elaine Van Ryswyk (James McCrory) of Miami, FL; 10 grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren. Also surviving are many nieces and nephews.
Preceding Gertrude in death were her parents; husband Dick in 1979; an infant daughter Barbara Jean in 1947; a son Harold Lee in 1975; two sisters and three brothers: Jennie Vander Waal, Gysbert (Bert) Snetselaar, Alice Klyn, Geurt Snetselaar, and Barney Snetselaar.
