Margaret Van Der Kamp, 95, of Grinnell, died Oct. 1, 2021, at St. Francis Manor in Grinnell.
A funeral service was held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6, at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell. Interment was in Bethel Cemetery north of Lynnville.
Memorials may be designated to Grinnell United Methodist Church or to Kellogg Historical Society, mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home, PO Box 368, Grinnell, IA 50112.
Margaret Eileen Ashby was born the daughter of Henry and Edythe (Burnham) Ashby on Jan. 5, 1926, near Grinnell in rural Jasper County. She was raised on the family farm near Grinnell and attended rural school in Jasper County. She graduated from Grinnell High School with the Class of 1944. Following her education, Margaret taught school in rural Jasper County for four years.
Margaret was united in marriage to Melvin Van Der Kamp at her parents’ home near Grinnell on Feb. 17, 1948. Their marriage was blessed with three children: Norman, Bruce, and Mary. Margaret was a homemaker. They were members of Mount Zion Methodist Church, Grace Community Church, and Grinnell United Methodist Church. She volunteered at Grinnell Regional Medical Center, Meals on Wheels, and Kellogg Museum. Margaret’s enjoyments were doing cross-stitch, solving jigsaw puzzles, attending ice cream socials, playing games with family and friends, baking, and decorating cakes, especially for her family. She will be remembered for being independent, for her smile and special laugh, and for the strong love of her family.
Margaret is survived by her sons, Norman (Susan) Van Der Kamp of Kansas City, MO, and Bruce (Sally) Van Der Kamp of Aurora, CO; daughter, Mary Osborne of Boone; two granddaughters, Brook (David) Sheller and Whitney (Skyler) Maxwell; three great-grand-daughters, Darby Sheller, McKenzie Maxwell, and Courtney Maxwell; two great-grandsons, Declan Sheller and Caden Maxwell; two sisters-in-law, Virginia Ashby and Betty Ashby; and many treasured nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Melvin Van Der Kamp on Dec. 9, 2004; three brothers, Harry, Robert, and Alfred Ashby; and sister-in-law, Mary Margaret Ashby.
