Dave Vander Pol, 78, of Pella and formerly of Sully, passed away June 6, 2022. Visitation will be 1-6 p.m. Friday, June 10, with the family present 4-6 p.m. at Trinity Reformed Church, 407 Franklin St., Pella. Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 11, at Trinity Reformed Church. Interment following the service will be in Oakwood Cemetery, Pella. Memorials have been designated for Lake View Camp, Pella; and Trinity Reformed Church.
Dave was born Sept. 30, 1943, to Sarah (Willemson) and Alexander Van Der Pol at home on their farm south of Sully. He was the youngest of five children and made a grand entrance, weighing 11 pounds 2 ounces. He attended Battle Creek Country School south of Sully through the fifth grade, Pella Junior High School, and graduated from Lynnville-Sully High School in 1961. He made profession of faith at Sully First Reformed Church. He met Phyllis Struik at Newton Christian Reformed Church, and they were married May 6, 1966, at Calvary Christian Reformed Church in Pella. Dave and Phyllis lived in Newton where Dave worked at Parsons. In 1968, they moved to the family farm where he farmed for 52 years. They had three children: Tim Vander Pol from Newton, Laura Hoffman from Centennial, CO, and Jane Huss from Urbandale.
Dave served as elder and deacon at Pella Trinity Church and was on the Pella Cooperative Electric Board and on the Key Co-op Board for several years.
Dave enjoyed visiting with many friends over coffee, fishing with buddies in Canada every summer, deer hunting, and attending farm sales. He enjoyed nature, loved farming, and looked forward to planting every spring. His favorite thing to do on a Sunday afternoon was to ride his four-wheeler through his fields to check his crops and see how they were growing. He had fun every day, even in his work, stopping to talk with or help someone, play with his kids and grandkids, or play a joke on someone.
Dave loved family! He was so proud of all his kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids and loved to spend time with them. He was invested in each of them, knowing what each of them was doing, attending as many of their events as possible. It was tradition to take them to Adventureland every summer for 50 years. They also looked forward to their annual hot dog roast, paddle boating on the pond, bike rides, swimming, playing games, and sharing treats. Many memories were made around the table with family members at holiday gatherings, birthdays, and Sunday lunches. Dave and Phyllis also enjoyed traveling, playing cards with friends, and biking many bike trails for over 25 years!
Dave accepted his sickness, never complained and lived life to the end, going on a fishing trip with his son and grandson during his final weeks and a drive to the farm with his son to check his crops for one last time. He was at peace and very thankful for the many blessings in his life of 78 years. Dave loved so many. He was SO loved.
Dave is survived by Phyllis, his wife of 56 years; three children, Tim (Susan) Vander Pol, Laura (Kevin) Hoffman, and Jane (Nathan) Huss; five grandchildren; two great-granddaughters; his siblings, sisters- and brothers-in-law: Darlene Kool, Janice and Gene Kaisand, Howard and Betty Van Der Pol, Mary and Rich Terpstra, Lowell Vande Lune, Linda and Loren Vande Lune, Loretta Struik, and Carol and Ben Van Zee.
He was preceded in death by his parents and parents-in-law Alexander and Sarah Van Der Pol and Hubert and Hendrika (Van Norden) Struik; brothers- and sisters-in-law Allen Kool, Lois Vande Lune, Helen and Maurice Groenendyk, and Marvin Struik; and nephew and niece Don Van Der Pol and Debbie Van Der Pol.
