Wilmer J. “Bill” Van Wyk, 84, of Monroe, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2017, at Park Centre in Newton. A funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 13 at the First Reformed Church in Prairie City. Burial will follow at Silent City Cemetery in Monroe. Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12 at the First Reformed Church in Prairie City. The family will greet friends from 3 to 5 p.m. Memorials may be directed to the First Reformed Church or the Gideon’s. Condolences may be left for the family at coburnfuneralhomes.com
The son of William Gysbert and Johanna (De Jong) Van Wyk, Bill was born Dec. 1, 1932, in Sully. Bill attended school through the eighth grade. He proudly served in the United States Army during the Korean War. On Sept. 10, 1955, he was united in marriage to Dorothy Wagner at the Methodist Church in Monroe. Bill was a member of the First Reformed Church in Prairie City, the Gideon’s, Farm Bureau and the Monroe COOP. Bill farmed and loved to play in the dirt, building terraces, working on ponds or anything involved dealing with dirt. He was also involved with Prison Ministries and enjoyed going on antique tractor rides. His greatest enjoyment, however, was time spent with family and attending his grandchildren’s numerous activities.
Those left to honor his memory include his wife, Dorothy; children, Donna (Bob) Carhill, Jerry (Brenda) Van Wyk, Brenda (Wayne) Burns, Lori (Ken) Kizer and Brian (Kelly) Van Wyk; 15 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; a brother, Ralph (Ruby) Van Wyk; and several nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death were his parents; siblings, Guy Van Wyk, Anna Mae Dunsbergen, Gertrude Vann Wyk, Forrest Van Wyk and Vernon Van Wyk.