Joe Van Hill

Rock Rapids, Iowa Joe Van Hill, age 86 of Rock Rapids, IA died Tuesday morning, August 22, 2006 at Merrill Pioneer Community Hospital in Rock Rapids. Funeral services will be Friday at 2:00 p.m. at the Christian Reformed Church in Rock Rapids with Rev. Cliff Hoekstra, officiating. Burial will follow in Riverview Cemetery at Rock Rapids. Visitation will be Thursday at the Christian Reformed Church in Rock Rapids from 2-8 p.m. with the family present from 6:30-8 p.m. Joseph Van Hill was born April 23, 1920, on a farm near Alvord, IA, the son of Gilbert and Christina (Wallenburg) Van Hill. Joe grew up on the family farm and attended country school. On June 11, 1941, he was united in marriage to Grace Harmsen at Rock Rapids. They made their home in Grand Rapids, MI until 1944, when they moved to Rock Rapids to help his parents because of a tornado on the family farm. In 1956, they moved to Steen, MN when they owned Joes Caf. In 1966 they moved to Rock Rapids. While living in northwest Iowa and Southwest Minnesota, Joe farmed and ran Joe & Son feed grinding, owned and operated Joe and Norms Mobil Station, drove truck and later drove bus for Western Christian School and was the custodian at the Rock Rapids Christian Reformed Church. Joe was a member of the Christian Reformed Church in Rock Rapids where he has served on the consistory. Joe and Grace were active in the Golden Age Club in Rock Rapids. On August 2, 1994, Grace died ending their marriage of fifty-three years. Joe moved into Rosewood Heights until he moved to Premier Estates in 2000. In 2002, Joe became a resident of Rock Rapids Health Centre in Rock Rapids. This past Tuesday morning, August 22, 2006, Joe died at the Merrill Pioneer Community Hospital in Rock Rapids at the age of eighty-six. Left to cherish his memories are his children, Gilbert and his wife, Alina Van Hill of Sioux Falls, SD; Marcia and her husband, Bill Saeger of Orange City, IA; daughter-in-law, Marsha Van Hill of Sioux Falls, SD; eleven grandchildren; nine great grandchildren; one sister, Christine Kroon of Rock Rapids; and one brother, Bud Van Hill of Inwood, IA. He was preceded in death by his parents; Gilbert and Christina; his wife, Grace; daughter, Cathy Rozeboom and son-in-law John Rozeboom; son, Norman; great granddaughter, Kaitlyn Spelbring; brothers, Albert, Tunis, Gilbert, Don and two infant brothers; along with sisters, Gertie Timmerman; Gertrude Ackerman; and two infant sisters.