Janet Kay Shill was born on October 15, 1943, at Marshalltown, Iowa. Her mother was the former Wilma Lorene Hoover and her father was Leonard Earl Shill. While Jan's mother was pregnant with her, her father passed away and Jan remembered being spoiled by her paternal grandparents, Grandpa Pete and Grama Mabel Shill. Harley Ray Van Wyk had moved to Gilman, Iowa and Jan wrote him a note on his first day of school. Soon they went on a double date and on September 8, 1961, they were united in marriage at Gilman. A special memory of their wedding day was a friend had written 'help' on the bottom of Harley's shoes so when he knelt it would be seen. Jan and Harley's marriage was made strong by always making-up after disagreements and special by raising four children: Sandra Renae, who was born on February 13, 1962, Jeffery Todd born on February 12, 1963, Teresa Dawn born on July 2, 1964 and Connie Lea, who was born on April 6, 1966; and eventually a granddaughter, Kassondra Marie Van Wyk, who was born on November 27, 1983. Jan had numerous outside employment, as well as being a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She had worked at various locations including the Rolscreen Company, the Pella Motor Inn and Super 8 in Pella, Iowa and was a distributor of Avon and Tupperware Products. Her most recent position was as the Secretary for the First Baptist Church in Pella from which she retired and for the past 40 years was a co-owner of Van's Outboard. Jan was a talented cake decorator and enjoyed spending time with her family, attending church and community functions and watching for wildlife. She and Harley's friends went on many motorcycle and snowmobile trips together. Their family vacations and family get-togethers were a special memory of Jan's. Her faith only became stronger with the untimely deaths of two of their children: Jeff Van Wyk, who was killed in a motorcycle/truck accident on September 1, 1984 and Sandi Hansen, who passed away of colon cancer on November 2, 1991. On Saturday, December 19, 2009, she passed away at the Hospice of Pella Comfort House in Pella at the age of 66 years due to liver and kidney failure. Those who will cherish her memory are her faithful husband, Harley; two daughters and their husbands: Terri and Merlin Rozenboom and their two sons, Todd and James of Centennial, Colorado, Connie and Keith Hoksbergen and their five children: Brandi, Susan, Brittney, Taylor and Wesley of Pella, Iowa; and a granddaughter, Kassi Van Wyk, who was raised like a daughter. Of her original family Jan leaves her half- sister, Marge Coppock, a half-brother, Dale McGrew and his wife, Sue, and her sister-in-law and her husband, Christine (McGrew) and George Nash all of Marshalltown, Iowa; along with the following brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Jerald and Dorothy Van Wyk of Pella, Sylvan and Gina Van Wyk of Rapid City, South Dakota and Dennis Van Wyk of Lomita, California; her step-mother-in-law, Marjorie (Herbert) Van Wyk of Pella; and many nieces and nephews. Jan was preceded in death by two children, Jeff Van Wyk and Sandi Hansen; her father and mother, Leonard Shill and Wilma (Shill) McGrew; her step-father, Elbert McGrew; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Herbert and Marie De Kock Van Wyk; two half-brothers: Keith McGrew, who died as an infant and Gary McGrew; and a brother-in-law, Marvin Van Wyk. Jan became a baptized member of the First Baptist Church in Pella on Easter Sunday, April 19, 1992, where she remained an active, faithful member. She will always be remembered as a warm, caring person.


In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred for the Jan Van Wyk Memorial Fund in honor of her needs and wishes.

Van Dyk- Duven Funeral Home