Mrs. LaVonne Van Surksum, age 84, of Omaha, formerly of rural Hospers, passed away on Saturday, March 29, 2014, at the Lakeside Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska.
There will be a funeral service on Thursday, April 3, at 11:00am, at the First Christian Reformed Church in Hospers. The Rev. Marvin Leese will officiate. Interment will follow at the Hospers Cemetery. Visitation will be after 6:00pm on Wednesday, with the family present from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Hospers.
LaVonne Ruth was born on April 3, 1929, at Sioux Center, the daughter of Ralph and Carrie (Ganzevoort) Van de Berg. She was raised in the Hospers, where she attended the Hospers Elementary School and graduated from the Hospers High School.
On March 11, 1948, she married John W. Van Surksum at Hospers. They made their home on two of the family farms near Hospers, until they retired to town. In August of 2008, they moved to the Fieldcrest Assisted Living Community in Sheldon. Then in 2012, they moved to Silverridge Assisted Living in Gretna, Nebraska and then to Brookestone Village in Omaha, to be closer to their children.
She was an active member of the First Christian Reformed Church throughout her life. LaVonne enjoyed singing in the Sioux County Choir and the Easter cantadas, collecting and making dolls, cooking and sewing.
Survivors include her husband of more than 66 years; four children and their spouses, Terry and Mary Jean Van Surksum, of Omaha; Roger and Mary Ann Van Surksum, of Pensacola, Florida; Shari and Steven Slater, of Papillion, Nebraska; and Gary and Lynn Van Surksum, of Gardner, Kansas; eleven grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren. Grandchildren include Jonathan Van Surksum; Christopher Van Surksum, and his wife, Kelly; Scott Van Surksum; Jason Van Surksum, and his wife, Kara; Kari, and her husband, Derk Hair; Heather, and her husband, Farid Torabi; Christopher Slater, and his wife, Tacy; and Jacqui, and her husband, Dave Lawrence; Brad Van Surksum; Krystal Van Surksum; Chase Van Surksum; two sisters-in-law, Lois Van de Berg and Elizabeth Van de Berg; and John’s brothers and sisters and their spouses, Bill and Marge Van Surksum; Wilma and Marv Vink; Ella and Mart Hortjus; and The Rev. Richard Venema.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her seven brothers and sisters and their spouses, Megdalene and James Van Burkum; Harold Cyril Van de Berg; Angeline and Pete Zwagerman; Helen and Clifford Monson; Harriet and Ted Van Zandbergen; Harold Van de Berg; Kenneth Van de Berg; and John’s sister and brother, Carrie Venema and William Van Surksum, in infancy.
