Carol Vanden Bos

Rock Valley, IA: Carol W. Vanden Bos, 92, of Rock Valley, Iowa, formerly of Platte, South Dakota, died Saturday, May 8, 2021, at Hegg Health Center in Rock Valley. Funeral services will be held Thursday, May 13, at 10:00 AM at First Christian Reformed Church of Rock Valley with Rev. Matthew Haan officiating. The funeral can be livestreamed at http://www.firstcrcrv.org/. Burial will take place on Thursday at 3:30 PM at the Platte City Cemetery. Visitation, with the family present, will be held Wednesday, May 12, from 6:00-8:00 PM at First CRC of Rock Valley. Memorials may be given to The Gideons International, Western Christian High School, or Dakota Christian School.    Caroline Wilhelmina Vanden Bos was born to Sam and Carolina (Faber) Sybesma on February 4, 1929 in Ireton, Iowa. The family moved to South Dakota in 1934. She attended country school and graduated from Western Christian in 1946. She went on to graduate from Calvin College and received her master’s degree in education from the University of Michigan. Teaching others was her passion and she taught for over 16 years in Michigan, California and Washington. She touched the lives of many students over the years.    She had many interesting stories about growing up with 11 siblings on the farm. Her parents instilled a love of Christ, music, and the importance of hard work at a very early age in their children. She made her profession of faith in 1945 in the Platte Christian Reformed Church, the scripture passage she chose was Philippians 1:6, the same passage her mother had chosen for her profession of faith.    She was united in marriage to John Vanden Bos in the Platte CRC church on August 16, 1966.  A great source of joy for John and Carol was God providing an opportunity for children through the adoption of son James and daughter Carol. She never tired of telling stories of the excitement in “showing off” their babies to family and friends. They farmed together near Platte until their retirement in 1995. They moved to Rock Valley, Iowa in 2013 to Four Seasons, and later to Whispering Heights in 2021.    Carol was a devoted wife and mother who taught her love of Christ to her family. Her faith was strong, and her deepest desire was for her loved ones to know the Lord. She enjoyed her children’s activities and later treasured attending or listening to her grandchildren’s activities. She was involved in her church and community, was a prayer warrior, and faithfully memorized many scripture passages. She loved to read, sew and do “fancy work”, knitting, crocheting, and tatting.  John and Carol volunteered in service projects with CRWRC and JFA, and were faithful members of the wellness center in Rock Valley where they were active even after they reached their 90’s.    Carol is lovingly remembered by her husband, John; children, James (Rachelle) Vanden Bos of Rock Valley, and Carol (Doug) Johnson of Lucas, South Dakota; grandchildren, Ashley (Colton) Van Otterloo, Carter and Levi Vanden Bos, and Malorie Johnson; brother, Sam (Henrietta) Sybesma; sisters, Gertrude (Bernard) Baker, Jean Huisjen, and Anna Lubben; sisters-in-law, Elaine (Bud) Wiebenga, and Nelvina Sybesma; and brother -in-law, Dave (Anne) Van Den Berg.    She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Clarence, Marion, and Stanley; sisters, Bertha Flietstra, Clara Flietstra, Millie Weeber, and Darlene Van Den Berg; brothers-in-law, Charles Flietstra, Merle Huisjen, Pete Lubben, Marlowe De Lange, and Harold Jaeger; and sisters-in-law, Clara Sybesma, Elmira De Lange, and Bernice Jaeger.  Service Program Click to download / open