John Van Den Top

Rock Valley, IA: Gerrit John “John” Van Den Top, 90, of Rock Valley, Iowa, died Monday, January 8, 2024, at Whispering Heights of Rock Valley. Funeral services will be held Thursday, January 11, at 1:30 PM at Porter Funeral Home of Rock Valley with Rev. J.J. Witvoet officiating. The service will be audio-streamed at https://www.porterfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/john-van-den-top. Burial with military honors will follow at Valley View Cemetery of Rock Valley. Visitation, with family present, will be held Wednesday, January 10, from 5:30-7:00 PM at Porter Funeral Home.

   Gerrit John Van Den Top, son of John and Gerritje “Carrie” (Van Middendorp) Van Den Top, was born December 4, 1933, on a farm near Alvord, Iowa. On June 10, 1955, John was united in marriage with Mable Ter Meer in Inwood, Iowa. He was drafted into the United States Army with service at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and Karlsruhe, Germany from 1955 to 1957. Together the couple made their home in Inwood until 1964 at which time they moved to Rock Valley, Iowa. John was a Rock Valley Community School Board member for 24 years.

   John loved fishing and carpentry, and you would often find him in his woodworking shop. He built many homes in the Rock Valley area but was also an artisan who crafted intricate wooden vases as well as toys and barns for his many grandchildren. 

   He is survived by his 4 children, Sharon (Engel) Knibbe of Richland, Washington, Steve (Lisa) Van Den Top of Rock Valley, Tricia Van Den Top of Bellevue, Nebraska, and Karl (Ashley) Van Den Top of Utica, New York; 8 grandchildren, Angie Larsen, Renae (Jason) Stout, Leah Knibbe, Zachary Van Den Top, Katie (Justin) Juffer, Brittany (Luke) Wiebe, Jaxon Van Den Top, and Zoey Van Den Top; 11 great-grandchildren, Ty, Ezekiel, and Elijah Larsen, Clayton, Bentley and Elly Juffer, Jacob, Abigail, Gideon and Leentje Stout, and Hollis Wiebe; brother, Gilbert (Norma) Van Den Top; sister, Alice (Albert) Brands; and sister-in-law, Janet Ter Meer of Rialto, California.

   Preceding him in death were his wife, Mable; son, Mark Van Den Top; parents, John and Carrie Van Den Top; father and mother-in-law, William and Maggie Ter Meer; sisters, Jeanette Rozeboom and Jennie Miller; brothers-in-law, Opie Ter Meer, Walter Ter Meer, William Rozeboom, Allen Miller, Donald Roos and Sam Kooima; sisters-in-law, Hermina Kooima, Bertha Roos and Kathleen Ter Meer.