Esther Mae Van Wyk was born January 20, 1928, to Peter and Dorothy (Verwers) Van Gent, in Oskaloosa, Iowa.  She passed away on October 18, 2020, at the Mayflower Home in Grinnell, Iowa.

Esther grew up in the Lynnville and Killduff areas, and attended school at Fair Oaks in Cordova, Iowa. On January 23, 1948, she was united in marriage to Guysbert "Gus" Van Wyk. To this union, they were blessed with five children: Beverly, Merlin, Donavan, Mark and Randy. Esther worked for the New Sharon Care Center for 17 years. She was a member of the First Reformed Church in Sully, where she was a member of the Martha Circle.  She was also a member of the Taintor Ladies Circle and two quilting groups in Lynnville and Sully. She made quilts for all of her family.

Those left to cherish her memory are her children:

Bev and Dale Flander, Lynnville

Merlin and Debbie Van Wyk, Lynnville

Donavan and Ruth Van Wyk, Sully

Mark and Marylou Van Wyk, Lynnville

Randy and Jeanie Van Wyk, Lynnville

She is also survived by 17 grandchildren and 30 great grandchildren, her brother Kenneth (Esther) Van Gent of Pella, and her sister-in-law Eleanor Van Gent of Wisconsin.

Esther was preceded in death by her husband Guysbert, her parents, two grandsons: Jess Van Wyk and Cory Van Wyk, two brothers: Arnold Van Gent in infancy and Edward Van Gent, a sister in infancy Janice Van Gent and Janice Henning.

Sully First Reformed Church - Building Fund
807 3rd St., Sully IA 50251