Dorothy "Dottie" Van Berkum

Orange City, IA: Dorothy Van Berkum, 90, of Orange City, formerly of Rock Valley, IA, died Saturday, March 07, 2015 at Prairie Ridge Care Center in Orange City. Memorial services will be held Friday, March 13, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. at First Reformed Church in Rock Valley with Rev. Harlan De Jong officiating. Burial will be held prior to the service at Hillside Cemetery in Lester, IA. Visitation, with family present, will be held Thursday, March 12, 2015 at Porter Funeral Home in Rock Valley from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Condolences may be left for the family at www.porterfuneralhomes.com.

Dorothy “Dottie” (Rippentrop) Van Berkum, daughter of Cort and Lena (Olthoff) Rippentrop, was born April 2, 1924 in Doran, MN. She grew up in Lester, IA where she graduated high school. Dottie married Lawrence “Larry” Van Berkum on February 14, 1947 in Lester. The couple eventually made their home in Rock Valley, IA where Dottie was a bookkeeper for Community Oil Company for 18 years. Dottie served as a Foster Grandparent for 12 years. She enjoyed sewing, quilting, crafts, dancing, playing cards and games with the grandkids and attending their activities. Dottie was a member of First Reformed Church in Rock Valley.

Dottie is survived by her son, Ronald Van Berkum and his wife, Kathy, of North English, IA, and their children; Matthew (Christine) Van Berkum and their son Zachary, Chrissy (Pat) Hamiel, and Joni Van Berkum; daughter, Carole Kleinhesselink and her husband, Brian, of Orange City, and their children; Kelly Kleinhesselink and Chad (Alyssa) Kleinhesselink; sister, Irene (Marvin) Smith of Phoenix, AZ and sister-in-law, Wes Van Berkum of Rock Valley.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, Cort and Lena Rippentrop; husband, Larry Van Berkum; three brothers and their wives, Clarence (Eldeen) Rippentrop, Walter (Gert Rippentrop-Karli) Rippentrop, and Delbert (Bev) Rippentrop; and one sister, Dellas (Robert) Rollinger.

Visitation

6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. ,Thursday, March 12, 2015
Porter Funeral Home ~ Rock Valley
1704 15th Street Rock Valley, Iowa, Sioux 51247

Memorial Service

1:00 p.m. ,Friday, March 13, 2015
Rock Valley First Reformed Church
1501 16th Street Rock Valley, Iowa, Sioux 51247