Eldon Van Den Top

Rock Valley, IA: Eldon Van Den Top, age 59 of Rock Valley, Iowa, died Tuesday, May 11, 2021 at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Visitation with the family present will be held from 5:30-7:30pm, Thursday, May 13 at Faith Reformed Church in Rock Valley. Funeral service will be held at 10:30am, Friday, May 14 also at Faith Reformed Church with Pastor Keith Sietstra and Rev. Mike Molenaar officiating. Burial will follow at Valley View Cemetery. Funeral service will be livestreamed at www.faithrv.com.    Eldon Van Den Top was born November 18, 1961 in Hudson, South Dakota to William and Jeanette (Van Voorst) Van Den Top. He grew up in Hull and Rock Valley, Iowa and graduated in 1980 from Rock Valley High School. Eldon was united in marriage to Gladys Van Bochove on October 19, 1983 at Inspiration Hills and they continued to make their home in Rock Valley. Eldon began his career in the lumber industry at 16 years old; he worked in Rock Valley, Doon, and most recently Hull, where he managed the lumber yard for over 20 years.    In Eldon’s free time he enjoyed watching the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. Often on the weekends, Eldon could be found grilling and experimenting with outdoor cooking; to which his friends and family greatly benefitted. Yearly vacations to Dead Lake, Minnesota were always a highlight of the year as he enjoyed fishing and watching the sunset. At the beginning of 2016, Eldon acquired a new title, “Grandpa,” and has since been teasing and loving his 3 grandchildren.    Eldon is survived by his wife, Gladys; children, Megan (Michael) Ten Clay and Ethan Van Den Top, both of Rock Valley; grandchildren, Alexis, Aubrey, and Benjamin Ten Clay; siblings, Betty (Wilmar) Pollema, Jane (Bruce) Aning, Joyce (Ron) Maassen, Judy (Larry) Dokter, Gloria (Gary) Teunissen, Darlene (Daryl) Maassen, and Daryl (Deb) Van Den Top; sister-in-law, Lois (Ted) Salazar; and Gladys’ siblings, Emma Vlastuin, Hank (Jan) Van Bochove, Adelene (Don) Vanden Berg, Arlis (Duane) Obbink, Dennis (Paula) Van Bochove, and Rhonda (Wayne) Vande Waerdt.    Eldon is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Willis Van Den Top; brother-in-law, Rod Dibbet; nephew, Bruce Pollema; and nieces, Sheila Maassen and Danita Vollink.  Service Program Click to download / open