Grace Marie Schut was born February 15, 1929, at home in Prairie City, Iowa to John and Maggie (Branderhorst) Schut. Nine years after she was born, her brother, Willis James, joined the family. As was true of the times, few were aware of the pregnancy and Willis was a genuine surprise! She grew up in Prairie City and was a graduate of Prairie City High School with the class of 1947. She professed her faith in Jesus Christ in the Prairie City Christian Reformed Church. On June 30, 1953, Grace was united in marriage to Robert LeRoy Van Ryswyk at the Christian Reformed Church in Prairie City. After their marriage they lived in Des Moines while Bob attended barber school. While living in Des Moines, Grace worked at various office jobs. In 1955 they moved to Pella where Grace worked in the business office at the Pella Community Hospital for 20 years, as well as selling Avon.

Bob and Grace were blessed with 3 children: Paul Alan, Ruth Ann and Mary Lynn. They were charter members of Calvary Christian Reformed Church in Pella where she played piano and organ, was a choir member and sang in a women's group with Audrey Veldhouse, Geneva Jansen, Alb Stursma and Joyce Groeneweg. She also sang tenor in the Pella Community Messiah and enjoyed playing at the nursing home in Pella for birthday celebrations. She and Bob sang for many funerals, as well as special music at church. She enjoyed cooking and baking, word puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, watching animal shows on TV and sitting on her patio in Pella watching squirrels and birds. Grace was a wonderful cook and baker. Every summer, she canned, butchered chickens; at Christmas she was joined by her mother and Aunts Marie and Jose in making popcorn balls and other Christmas candy.

Left to cherish her memory are her children:

Paul Alan (Mike Kirk) Van Ryswyk

Jonathan (Anna) Van Ryswyk

David (Krystal) Van Ryswyk

Graysin

Ruth Ann (Mark) Sonnenberg

Ben Sonnenberg

Alex (McKenzie) Sonnenberg

August, Mia, Amelia, Roman

Mary Lynn (Carl) Beukelman

Michelle (Adam) Weisenburger

Ellie

Adam (Matea) Beukelman

Astrid, Lyra

Lauren (John) Puryear

Sarah Beukelman

Luke Beukelman

In death, Grace rejoins her husband Robert; parents John and Maggie; brother, Willis James Schut and great-granddaughter, Alexis Sonnenberg. She was also pre-deceased by Bob's family: parents Arie and Irene Van Ryswyk, sisters Doris (Chuck) Logsdon and Alice (Bob) Samson, brothers Don (Doris) and Art (Betty). Grace enjoyed many nephews and nieces, especially Debbie (Van Ryswyk) and Morris Jansen who made many visits to spend time with Grace.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
501 St. Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105
Tel: 1-800-805-5856
Web: http://www.stjude.org/

Calvary Christian Reformed Church
408 Maple Street, Pella IA 50219