Nadine Van Maanen

Nadine Van Maanen, 90, of Oskaloosa passed away Thursday, July 31, 2014, at the Oskaloosa Care Center. Eunice Nadine Van Maanen, daughter of Arie H. and Eva Dena (Newport) Scharff, was born, July 31, 1924, at the rural home of her parents near Rose Hill, Iowa. Nadine attended Rose Hill grade school and was a 1941 graduate of Barnes City High School. She married Roy Barthelman, June 13, 1942, at Lancaster, MO. Nadine spent a brief time in Salt Lake City, UT while Roy was in basic training for military. She went back to live with her parents while he served overseas. After his return, they began farming in the Barnes City area. Nadine was a busy farmer’s wife with three small children. She was an excellent seamstress, sewing most of her family’s clothes. She was a founder of the first girl’s 4-H club, the Pleasant Grove Happy Homemakers, in the Barnes City area and she also helped with her sons 4-H clubs. She assisted her husband in running the Geerlings Feed Company from their farm from 1958 to 1973 and many will remember the delicious yearly company picnics on their farm. The Newport, Scharff, Flint and Barthelman families were very close and Nadine and Roy hosted many reunion picnics on their farm as well. Roy passed away, August 14, 1973. Nadine was blessed to find love a second time; she married John Van Maanen, August 31, 1974. They made their home in Oskaloosa. Nadine was a member of the New Sharon Assembly of God and after moving to Oskaloosa she joined the Assembly of God in Oskaloosa. Nadine and John enjoyed traveling and camping and in their later years they enjoyed spending winter months in Texas and Arizona. They traveled to Haiti and Mexico starting in 1977 and most recently in 2005 for mission work. John helped with construction projects and Nadine supported the workers in the kitchen as well as helping with food pantries. John passed away, November 14, 2009, and shortly thereafter Nadine moved to Maple Ridge. She was admitted to Oskaloosa Care Center in April of this year. Nadine had the heart of a servant, everything she did was for her family or for others: she raised huge gardens so she could can and preserve its bounty and give it to her children and grandchildren. Each family member had a crocheted blanket of pot holder. Her delight was being in the midst of her family. Her family includes her children and their spouses: Melvin and Connie Barthelman of Kalona, Charles and Wilma Barthelman of Centreville, MI, and Pamela and Dick McGriff of Montezuma; her stepchildren: Linda and Michael Johnson of Milton, FL, Mary Ann and Donald Brooks of Fremont, Lora and Jack Wilson of Coal Valley, IL, David and Evonne Van Maanen of Oskaloosa and Edie Van Maanen of Oskaloosa; 13 grandchildren; 14 step-grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; 18 step-great-grandchildren; 4 great-great-grandchildren; and 2 step-great-great-grandchildren; a sister, Virginia Lambirth of Tracy; a brother-in-law, Glen Barthelman of Michigan and an “adopted daughter” Sandy Thomas of Ankeny. In addition to her husbands and her parents, Nadine was preceded in death by two sisters: Bernice Reynolds and Louise Flint. Funeral Services for Nadine will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, August 4, 2014, at the Assembly of God in Oskaloosa with Pastor John DeBoef of the What Cheer Hilltop Chapel officiating. Burial will be in Sixteen Cemetery near Thornburg. Visitation will begin at 11 a.m., Sunday at the funeral chapel; the family will be present from 2-4 p.m. to greet visitors. Memorials may be made to the OK Bunch at the First Assembly of God Church. PDF Printable Version

Nadine Van Maanen

July 31, 1924 - July 31, 2014