Adriana Van Dusseldorp was born on July 25, 1914, in Marion County near Pella, Iowa. She was the daughter of Lambertus(Bart)and Marie Huyser Van Duddeldorp. Ada, as she was known, attended rural school in Marion County, Iowa and graduated from Monroe High School in Monroe, Iowa. She continued her education at William Penn College in Oskaloosa, Iowa where she obtained a teaching certificate. Ada taught country school for four years. Ada met Alfred E. Van Wyk, a son of Gerrit J. and Cornelia Roorda Van Wyk, Sr., while attending the Otley Reformed Church in Otley, Iowa and they were united in marriage on June 12, 1935, at the home of her parents near Otley. Ada and Alfred farmed near Monroe, Iowa for eight years and then moved to their farm near Mitchellville, Iowa, their family home for 39 years. Ada was an active partner in farming. In addition to caring for her family, she loved gardening adnd working outside. An active member of the Prairie City Reformed Church in Prairie City, Iowa, Ada was a Sunday School teacher and superintendent and an active participant in Ladies Aid. Ada and Alfred retired and moved into Pella in 1981. They enjoyed spending ten winters in Arizona where they were when Alfred died on November 29, 1985 at the age of 75 years. Ada continued living in their home, 1417 Broadway Street in Pella, until relocating to Grandview Homes, Vriendschap Village and Jefferson Place in Pella where she died Thursday evening, July 28, 2011, 3 days following her 97th birthday. Those who will cherish her memory are her three daughters, one son and their families. Marcene Borthwick and husband Richard Fawcett of Mission, KS, Robert Borthwick and Lee Parnell of San Diego, CA,

Zachary, Alexandra, David Borthwick and Sara Zaslaw of Atlanta, GA, Julia, Benjamin, Tom Brothwick and Jen Martin of Kansas City, MO, Anna, Margot, Joyce and husband Ronald Van Zee of Bayport, MN, Elaine, Harrison, Jamie Van Zee of Hudson, WI, Jonathan and Marynel(Ryan)Van Zee of Minneapolis, MN, Duane and wife Ellen(Vander Waal)Van Wyk of Mitchellville, IA, Timothy and Danyl(Iseminger)Van Wyk of Mitchellville, IA, Hunter, Rylie, Laura Van Wyk of Manchester, NH, Sharon and Husband Ronald Carlson of Johnston, IA.

Of her original family Ada leaves her sister, Margaret(Gerrit, Jr.)Van Wyk of Prairie City, Iowa, her brother, Francis Van Dusseldorp and his wife, Evelyn of Pella; a brother-in-law, Richard Van Wyk and three sisters-in-law: Geraldine(Alonzo)Ver Ploeg, Johnita(Myron)Van Wyk and Gertrude(Raymond)Van Wyk all of Pella; along with numerous nieces and nephews and many other relatives. Ada was preceded in death by her husband, Alfred Van Wyk; her parents, Bart and Marie Van Dusseldorp; her brother, Simon Van Dusseldorp and his wife, Margaret; her parents-in-law, Gerrit and Cornelia Van Wyk, Sr., and the following brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Cornie and Leta Mae Van Wyk, Gerrit Van Wyk, Jr., Warren and Viola Van Wyk, Lewis and Evelyn(Boat)Van Wyk, Myron Van Wyk, Raymond Van Wyk, Alonzo Ver Ploeg, Fannetta(Van Wyk)and husbands, Gradus Ver Ploeg and Ernest DeCook, Adriana(Van Wyk)and husbands, John De Jong and John Den Hartog, and Helen(Richard)Van Wyk. Family and friends were an important part of Ada's life. She loved to travel and made her first trip to Europe at age 75. Family gathered from across the country for big birthday celebrations every five years beginning with her 75th birthday. Ada volunteered with the auxiliary at the Pella Community Hospital and Hilltop Manor, at Work of Our Hands, Meals on Wheels and the pella Historical Village. She was an active, faithful member of the Third Reformed Church in Pella, Iowa.
Services will be held Monday, August 1, 2011 at 11 am at the Third Reformed Church, Pella, Iowa. A Family Committal Service will preceded the service at the Oakwood Cemetery in Pella.