Jacob John Van Der Hart was the son of Walter and Helen(Dahm)Van Der Hart. He was the third of eleven children and was born on May 14, 1926, in Mahaska County near Peoria, Iowa. Jake, as he was often known, attended the Sheesley one room country school in Mahaska County and often referred to his country school days as a memorable experience. While attending a Bible conference in Des Moines, Iowa he met Anna Irene Carson, a daughter of Truman and Lucy(Vaughn)Carson. Jake and Irene, as she was known, were united in marriage on December 3, 1949, in Des Moines and to this union one son was born, Donald James, on November 22, 1952. Jake enlisted in the U.S.Armed Services and received a medical discharge. Following their marriage Jake and Irene lived in the Peoria, Iowa area all their married life. Jake farmed for almost 60 years and also did silo repair work along with his son, Don. For the last 4 1/2 years of their 58 years of married life Irene resided in the Long Term Care Unit at the Pella Regional Health Center in Pella, Iowa. During this time Jake faithfully visited her nearly every day until she passed away there on June 13, 2008, two days following her 92nd birthday. Jake never fully retired and enjoyed reading and read his Bible faithfully. On Sunday morning, December 11, 2011, he passed away at the Hospice of Pella Comfort House in Pella at the age of 85 years.

He is survived by his son, Donald Van Der Hart, and his wife, Debby, of Pella; two grandchildren: John Van Der Hart and his wife, Cheri, and Sarah and her husband, Jason Vos; along with two great-grandchildren: Haley and Carson Van Der Hart all of Pella. Of his original family Jacob leaves the following brothers and sister and sisters-in-law: Godert(Delores)Van Der Hart of Waterloo, Iowa, Jeanetta Van Der Hart of Pella, Henry and Ann Van Der Hart of Mobile, Alabama, James and Freda Van Der Hart of New Sharon, Iowa, Raymond and Arlene Van Der Hart of Pella, Clarence and Virginia Van Der Hart of Glendale, Arizona, and Reba(John)Van Der Hart of Colorado; along with many nieces and nephews and a host of friends. Jacob was preceded in death by his wife, Irene; his parents, Walter and Helen Van Der Hart; his parents-in-law, Truman and Lucy Carson; and the following sisters and brothers and their spouse: Stella and Dwight Taylor, Thomas Van Der Hart, John Van Der Hart, and Nelly Yeo; and a sister-in-law, Delores(Godert)Van Der Hart. Jacob received Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour in his youth and attended the Hillside Bible Church in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, December 14, 2011, at 10:30 am at Peoria Christian Reformed Church, Peoria, Iowa. Interment will follow in the Peoria Cemetery at Peoria, Iowa. Visiation will begin Tuesday afternoon at the Van Dyk-Duven Funeral Home in Pella where the family will be present Tuesday from 5-7 pm. Memorials maybe given for Hospice of Pella, Iowa.