Tressie Van Weelden

Obituary

Tressie Marie Van Weelden was born December 9, 1927, on the Van Wyk County Line farm, five miles south of Sully.  Tressie was the sixth of ten children born to Neal and Hilda (Grandia) Van Wyk.  

On February 3, 1949, she was united in marriage to Arie A. Van Weelden, Jr. at the parsonage of the First Reformed Church in Pella. To this union they were blessed with four children: Diane Lynne, Steven Craig, Susan Beth and Scott Alan. Arie and Tressie farmed a few miles north of Peoria for 22 years, and then bought a farm five miles north of Pella. Tressie left the farm for Fair Haven on her 90th birthday.

Tressie excelled in being a wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and valued all those around her. She had the ultimate green thumb and could grow anything from a seed – hardwood trees, fruit trees, vegetables, and flowers. Snakes did have a short life if found in her garden. She loved gardening! Flowers were always abundant. Vegetables were eaten, canned and frozen for year-round use – especially the hundreds of bags of sweet corn. Pickles ended up being dill, sweet and sour or cucumbers! During strawberry season, events revolved around the pickings. All kinds of jellies were available for coffeetime sandwiches. Butchering chickens was a yearly event and many of us had nightmares about that chicken without a head chasing us around the yard. Every year each of us had a birthday cake – even if you were a twin at Tulip Time! Dutch Letter making was a tried-and-true process with delicious results.

Over the years Tressie sewed all kinds of clothing, sometimes of necessity and many times just because she could. Quilts were created and shared. She crocheted doilies, baby sweaters and hats and Christmas ornaments. She crocheted approximately 300 afghans for new babies, kids, grandkids and great grandkids. Tressie journaled most every day. They have her journals beginning in 1946.

Tressie has been a member of Trinity Reformed Church since 1952. Over the years, she participated in many activities there: Women’s Guild, Women’s Circle, Young People’s Leader, and Sunday School Teacher.

Tressie was preceded in death by: her husband Arie, her parents and parents-in-law Arie Sr. and Artje Van Weelden, and her great grandson Blake Van Vark.

Siblings/spouses: Leonard (Greta) Van Wyk, Edna (Jake) Ozinga, Harold (Betty) Van Wyk, Freda (Gilbert) Vande Wall, Ross Van Wyk, Keith Van Zee, Phyllis (Bill) Lowe, Donald Blom, Darlene Vander Pol

Arie’s Siblings/spouses: Ella (Ed) Klyn, Dick (Anna) Van Weelden, Stella (David) Blommers, Cora (Ric) Sneller, Henry (Betty) Van Weelden, Cornie Van Weelden, Gysbert Van Weelden and Art (Frances) Van Weelden.

Family:

Children

Diane Lynne (Stan) Schuring

            Heather Lynne (Trent) LaHue

                        Adalyn Grace

                        Izaak Trent

            Heidi Jaye Holt

                        Maxwell Arie-Jacob

                        Abraham Douglas

                        Anne Elizabeth

                        Camille Tressie

            Hilary Anne (Wade) Van Vark

                        Blake Mattingly (1995-2012)

                        Halle Nicole (Austin) Rapier

                        Noah Alexander

                        Tate Gehrig

Steven Craig (Donna) Van Weelden

            Jason Jay

            Carrie Lea (Mike) Branderhorst

                        Ashlyn Faith

                        Isabel Grace

Susan Beth (Gary) Spoelstra

            Gina Marie (Wayne) Ohnesorg

                        Garrett John

                        Ezra James

                        Arie Wayne

            Jennifer Ann (Adam) Lenters

                        Abigail Faye

                        Carley Ann

Scott Alan (Carol) Van Weelden

            Timothy Alexander

            Hannah Marie

            Sarah Ariel Van Weelden (Efrain Garcia)

Tressie is also survived by:

Sisters: Artie Van Zee and Elsie Blom; sister-in-law Irene Van Wyk and brother-in-law Wayne Vander Pol and sister-in-law Norie Van Weelden. She also leaves many nieces and nephews on the Van Wyk and Van Weelden sides.

Trinity Reformed Church
Pella IA