Shirley Beatrice (Van Der Pol) Van Kley

John 1:12 - Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God

Shirley Beatrice Van Kley (Van Der Pol), age 85 of Peoria, IL, passed away peacefully in her sleep at home on August 3, 2022.

A service for Shirley Van Kley will take place on Saturday, August 13, at 11:00 A.M. at the First Christian Reformed Church of Prinsburg, Minnesota.  The community is invited to an open house visitation from 5-7 P.M. at the church on Friday evening and one hour prior to the service.   Interment will immediately follow the service at Holland Township Cemetery.  With her love and dedication to Christian Education the family requests any memorials be made to the Christian school of your preference.  Arrangements are with the Tri-County Funeral Home of Prinsburg.  www.tricountyfuneral.com  

Additionally, a Celebration of Life service is being planned for the Lansing, IL / NW Indiana area likely to be held this fall (possibly October 15?), with more details to come.

Shirley was born on August 18, 1936, to John and Violet (Marcus) Van Der Pol near Blomkest, MN.  She grew up on a farm northeast of Raymond near Priam, the oldest of 6 brothers and 1 sister.  She would talk about life on the farm, 4-H and her job at the Piggly Wiggly in Wilmar.  While her hair turned a nice shade of gray later in her life, her high school yearbook highlighted her “shining brown hair”.

Shirley graduated from Wilmar High School in 1954.  She went on to Calvin College for her teaching degree.  Christian education was a focus of her life with almost 30 years at Lansing (IL) Christian school teaching primarily 3^rd or 4^th grade.  Before settling in that area, she also worked in Rehoboth, NM and taught at Peoria, IA Christian schools.

She was most recently a member of Providence Presbyterian Church in West Columbia, SC and had strong ties to her prior churches including 1^st Lansing Christian Reformed and 1^st CRC of Prinsburg.  She was active in various groups at the churches she attended.

Shirley often took the time to write letters and cards and maintained friendships with people in the areas she lived: central MN; Grand Rapids, MI; Pella, IA; Lansing and Crete, IL; and W Columbia SC.   She enjoyed traveling, especially bus trips and made it to all 50 U.S. states.  She also liked to read being a member of the high school library club and continued to read and comment on the Banner magazine until her passing.  She had a wry wit and even a few days before her passing cracked a joke about someone being “maybe abducted by aliens” when another asked where that person was.

Shirley is survived by her son Tom of Peoria, IL with his family Carmen (Pete) Moran and Ashley (Joel) Anker both of Dyer, IN, and Michael; her daughter Kris (Jon) Teeter of West Columbia, SC and their kids Charlotte and Rivers; and her siblings Gary Van Der Pol of Atwater, Duaine Van Der Pol of Montevideo, Leon Van Der Pol of Minneapolis, Debra Van Der Pol of Hastings and Randall Van Der Pol of Prinsburg.  She had 4 great-grandchildren (Nathan, Reese, Eli and Remi) and even recently her face would light up when holding the newborns.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, and brothers Alden and Jeryl Van Der Pol.  Shirley was a devout Christian and loved the Lord.  She is now in heaven with those who preceded her.  

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