Mary Ann Van Bemmel

Rock Valley, IA: Mary Ann Van Bemmel, 88, of Rock Valley, Iowa, died Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at Whispering Heights in Rock Valley. A funeral service will be held Saturday, February 3, at 11:00 AM at the First Christian Reformed Church of Rock Valley with Rev. Matthew Haan officiating. The service can be livestreamed at https://www.christianworldmedia.com/livechannel/firstcrcrv. Burial will follow at Valley View Cemetery of Rock Valley. Visitation with the family present will be held prior to the funeral from 9:30-10:30 AM at the church.

   Memorials may be directed to Western Christian High School in Hull, Iowa. Porter Funeral Home of Rock Valley has been entrusted with the arrangements for Mrs. Van Bemmel.

   Mary Ann Van Bemmel, daughter of Peter and Lydia (Vanden Bosch) Wielenga, was born November 18, 1935, at Lebanon, Iowa. In 1952, Mary Ann was united in marriage with Henry Paul Van Bemmel. They spent time living in Iowa, Minnesota, and California until settling on an acreage 1 mile west of Doon, Iowa in 1966. Here they would raise their 4 children until moving to Rock Valley, Iowa in 1993. Henry Paul passed away on August 14, 2007, after a 2 ½ year battle with cancer in which Mary Ann tenderly and lovingly cared for him in their home. Mary Ann moved to Four Seasons in Rock Valley in 2012 and in 2018 she moved to Whispering Heights in Rock Valley.

   Mary Ann loved and cherished her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great- grandchild. Mary Ann was a strong prayer warrior for all her family members, but her deepest prayer was for her family to walk in the ways of the Lord.

    Left to cherish her memory are: Gene (Daris) Van Bemmel of Randolph, Wisconsin and their children: Kristi (Rodney) Wierenga, Jill (Ross) Van Baren, Rachel (Nathan) Nikkel, Jessica (Ed) Van Dyke and Marisa (Austin) Herrema; Bonnie (Harm) Wiersma of Rock Valley and their children: Carisa (Brent) Maassen, Ryan (Kyla) Wiersma, Nolan (Katie) Wiersma, Evan (Sarah) Wiersma and Stephanie (Jeff) Elgersma; Verlyn (Sandy) Van Bemmel of Rock Valley and their children: Alyssa (Greg) Anderson, Katie (Bryan) Burgers, and Austin (Hannah) Van Bemmel; and Susan (Jeff) Hoekstra of Sioux Center and their children: Caleb (Whitney) Hoekstra, Dylan (Lacey) Hoekstra, Seth Hoekstra and Ethan (Summer) Hoekstra; 39 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great-grandchild; sisters-in-law, Gert Van Den Top of Hull and Wilma Van Bemmel of Doon; brothers-in-law, Marion (Carol) Van Bemmel of Luverne, Minnesota and Jack Van Dam of Edgerton, Minnesota.

    She was preceded in death by her parents, Peter and Lydia Wielenga; husband, Henry Paul Van Bemmel; parents-in-law, Albert and Gertie Van Bemmel; siblings, Jake (Kathryn) Wielenga, Tillie (John) Van Voorst, Henrietta (Gene) Hansen, and Lyda (Jim) Tamminga; sister-in-law, Marie Van Dam; and brothers-in-law, John Van Den Top, Leonard (Ruth) Van Bemmel, and Alvin Van Bemmel.