Verlan Gerrit Van Gorp was born on February 21, 1933, to Sara (Buwalda) and Gerrit M. Van Gorp, in Mahaska County, Iowa. He passed away on February 16, 2016, in Pella, Iowa.
Verlan grew up in the Pella and Sully areas, and attended school in Marion, Mahaska, and Jasper counties. He attended the Sully High School. Verlan proudly served in the US Army where he attained the rank of Master Sergeant while serving in Korea.
Verlan was united in marriage to Marilyn Joyce Sopher on January 18, 1957, at the First Christian Reformed Church in Oskaloosa, Iowa. To this union they were blessed with eight children: Debra, Dianne, Denise, Douglas, Darlys, Danette, Daniel and Donita. They raised their children on a farm near Leighton. He loved working the land, and raising cattle and hogs with his father and brother. He was a generous man and was always fair in all of his dealings. Verlan and Marilyn were members of Covenant Reformed Church in Pella, and he loved sharing his faith with everyone. He was a wonderful, caring leader of his family and is leaving a Godly legacy for them.
Those left to cherish his memory are his wife Marilyn, eight children, 30 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren:
Debra Lynn (Dale) De Nooy, Pella, Iowa
Alyssa De Nooy and fiancé Jeff Donahoe
Melanie (Joe) Mapes - Oliver, Ford
Jessica (Ross) Groenendyk - Kynlee, Ainsley, Tryce
Lauren De Nooy
Dianne Sue (Roger) Sparks, Luverne, Minnesota
Joelle (Garry) Riezebos - Anika, Kierstin
Jordan (Andrea) Sparks - Audrey
Nathan Sparks
Nicole (Jacob) Schroeder
Denise René (Ed) Blok, Lynden, Washington
Amy (Marcus) Roskamp - Evelyn, Jacob
Tim Blok
Andrew (Melisa) Blok
Kristen (Jayson) Korthuis
Dylan Blok
Megan Blok
Doug (Lisa Vis) Van Gorp, Pella, Iowa
Carissa (Peter) Hondred - Aaralyn
Aaron Van Gorp and fiancé Katelyn Claiborn
Joshua Van Gorp and fiancé Vanessa Blankespoor
Darlys Kay (Scott) Savery, Lynden, Washington
Erin (Michael) Eekhoff - Braelyn, Nolan
Ryan (Kaysha) Savery - Kaden, Taylor
Justin (Heather) Savery
Danette Lucille (Alan) Meinders, Leighton, Iowa
Kayla (Axton) Krueger - Eslie, Jack
Courtney (Justin) Besteman
Jenifer (Jessup) Miller
Justin Meinders - Garyn
Daniel Lee (Lynn Booth) Van Gorp, Pella, Iowa
Mason Van Gorp
Jacob Van Gorp
Jessa Van Gorp
Donita Joyce Van Stelle, Tucson, Arizona
Morgan (Justin) Warren
Jenna Van Stelle and fiancé Eric Hawkins
Claire Van Stelle
Verlan is also survived by his siblings: Ruth (Vernon) Ringenburg, Dorothy Van Der Pol and R. Eugene (Luana) Van Gorp; and sister-in-law, Margaret Van Gorp.
He was preceded in death by his parents, parents-in-law Robert and Henrietta (Van Wyk) Sopher, siblings: Ila Joyce Van Gilst, Marvin Van Gorp, Freeman Van Gorp, Lucille Van Kooten, Wilma Monast, and Leona De Ruiter; sister-in-law Marge Van Gorp; and brothers-in-law: Marvin De Penning, Paul Van Kooten, Melvin Sopher, and Melvin Van Der Pol.
Verlan will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
[Garden Chapel Funeral Home web site]