Dorothy Mae Van Dyke, age 87, of Sheldon, Iowa, passed away on Thursday, May 3, 2012 at the Sanford Sheldon Senior Care in Sheldon, Iowa.
Her services will be Monday, May 7, 2012 at 1:00pm from Bethel Reformed Church in Sheldon, Iowa with Rev. Troy Van Beek ~ officiating. Burial will be in the East Lawn Cemetery in Sheldon, Iowa.
Visitation will be Sunday, May 6, 2012 after 4:00pm with the family present from 4:00 – 6:00pm at the Vander Ploeg Funeral Home in Sheldon.
Dorothy Mae Van Dyke, the daughter of Sam and Minnie (Kuiper) Mellema was born September 26, 1924 in Primghar, Iowa. She received her education in country school in the Melvin area. In June of 1946, she was united in marriage to Alvin Peter Van Dyke at the First Baptist Church in Sibley, Iowa. After their marriage the couple lived in Sheldon for nine years. In 1959, they moved to Sacramento, California. While in California Dorothy sold Tupperware and worked selling home interior items and gifts. Before her retirement she worked for the California Department of Motor Vehicles for eight years. The couple returned to Sheldon from California to make their home. They moved to the Christian Retirement Home in 2002. Al passed away on June 2, 2006 in Sanborn, Iowa. After Al’s passing Dorothy remained at the Christian Retirement Home. She later moved to Fieldcrest Assisted Living in Sheldon and to the Sanford Health Center Senior Care in Sheldon. She passed away at Senior Care on Thursday, May 3, 2012 reaching the age of 87 years, 7 months and 7 days.
She was a charter member of the Bethel Reformed Church in Sheldon where she was currently a member. While living in Sacramento she attended Hope Community Reformed Church.
Dorothy leaves to cherish her memory her son, James and his wife, Lynda Van Dyke of Colorado Springs, Colorado; two grandchildren, Sharon, and James and his wife, Patty; two great grandsons, Clay and Cody; two brothers, Sidney Mellema of Sun City Arizona and Warren Mellema of Omaha, Nebraska; two sisters, Leona Eshuis of Lynden, Washington and Jeanette Davids of Sibley, Iowa; also other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, four brothers, Clarence, Kenneth, John and Stanley Mellema and two sisters, Gertrude Bosma and Jeanette Mellema.
Online Expressions of Sympathy can be sent to: www.vanderploegfunerals.com
