Henry Van Dyke

HENRY VAN DYKE was born May 16, 1932 to Klaas and Margaret (Vander Lugt) Van Dyke in Beaver Creek, Minnesota. His family settled on a farm in Leota, Minnesota in 1938. Henry attended elementary school at Leota Christian School and then attended Edgerton Christian High for 2 years and then Western Christian High School, where he graduated in 1950. He then furthered his education and attended Poly Tech College in Cookville, TN for clerical training. On April 30, 1951, Henry enlisted into the United States Air Force where he served as a Staff Sargent in Germany and Paris during the Korean Conflict. On October 22, 1954, Henry married Marcella Roelofs in Prinsburg, Minnesota. After being married, he finished his military service in Washington D.C. Upon his honorable discharge on April 30, 1955, Henry and Marcella made their home near Leota. Here the couple put down their roots, raised their six children and continued to build the family dairy farming operation. Even upon formal retirement, Henry remained active on the farm. He loved to go see his cows and help his boys with the farming operation. The couple moved into town in 1999. In 2017 they found a home in the apartments of the Edgebrook Estate in Edgerton, Minnesota. On May 1, 2018, Henry transitioned into the Edgebrook Care Center, where on Thursday, October 25, 2018 he went to be with his Lord at the age of 86 years, five months and nine days.

Henry was a member of the Ebenezer Christian Reformed Church in Leota where he had sang for many years in the church choir, served as an elder or deacon and on church counsel. He served on the American Dairy Association Board, Leota School Board, SW Christian School Board, CRWRC Board and for 35 years as a Lincoln-Pipestone Rural Water Commissioner. He was active for several years in the Volunteers in Mercy and as a volunteer for disaster relief projects in many disaster hit areas. Henry was simple and took enjoyment in simply raising his cows and helping his two boys on the farm. He loved his family and special enjoyment in the little one. He would often have fun with them speaking a little Dutch and then asking if they knew what it meant.

Henry is lovingly remembered by his wife, Marcella of Edgerton; six children and their families:
Laura (Bob) Bandstra of Denver, CO
Brian (Jennell) Bandstra
Noah & Izzy
Melissa (Shane) Tukker
Carson, Ethan & Declan
Eric Bandstra
Milo (Nancy) Van Dyke of Leota, MN
Felicia (Bennett) Drenth
Madelyn & Dawson
Jeremy (Sarah) Van Dyke
Mikaiah & Ellia
Brant (Stephanie) Van Dyke
Kaydence, Raleigh, & Blair

Tim (Lois Walhof) Van Dyke of Edgerton, MN
Seth (Becca) Van Dyke
Rhianna, Trace, Kyler & Justice
Jess (Darci) Van Dyke
Sierre, Ellyse & Korbin
Vayla Van Dyke, Hannah Van Dyke

Alan (Kristi) Stroeh of Luverne, MN
Kendall (Abby) Stroeh
Ryan Stroeh
Spencer (Johanna) Stroeh
Trentin,
McKenie,
Jordan (Levi)
Parker

Cheryl (Carey) Rettig of Savage, MN
Mikayla (Aaron) Wang
Camryn Rettig

Rhonda (Patrick) De Groot of Hartford, SD
Danielle De Groot
Jaelynn Brown
AJ De Groot
Zachary De Groot

Four siblings, Cynthia Roelofs of Wyoming, MI, Peter (Loretta) Van Dyke of Seattle, WA, Marlyce (Harold) Mulder of Orlando, FL and Ethel (Gerald) Potes of Sparta, MI; brother-in-law, Rufus Soodsma of Prairie View, KS; and other family and friends. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Judy Stroeh; parents; and sister, Johanna Soodsma.

Memorials may be directed to World Renew or Crossroads Prison Ministry.