Gertrude Vanden-acre, 85, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Nov. 16, 2019, at her home in Lynden.
Gertrude was born on Dec. 30, 1933, in Conrad, Montana, to John and Gertie (Griffioen) Vandyke, the last of 11 children. On Dec. 1, 1953, Gertrude married Merlin Vandenacre. They lived in Conrad until moving to Monroe, Washington, in 1962. They owned and operated Van’s Alignment & Repair in Monroe for almost 30 years. In retirement, they moved to Mount Vernon, and they enjoyed traveling and camping. After Merlin passed away in 2005, Gertrude moved to Lynden to be near her family.
Gertrude had fortitude, a gift of hospitality, and a servant heart. She baked often, made scrubbies and many pieces of beautiful hand work that she shared with others. She was a devoted mother and grandmother and was deeply loved. In her last years, the many visits she had from family and friends gave her much joy. Being confident in her faith, she did not fear dying and was at peace and ready to meet her Lord.
Gertrude was preceded in death by her husband, Merlin; one great-grandson; and nine of her siblings.
She is survived by her brother Willis VanDyke; daughters Kathy (Don) Medema and Roslyn (Scott) Hayes; 11 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, in Grace Covenant Church, where she was a member.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Grace Covenant Church Building Fund, 1227 Loomis Trail Rd., Lynden, WA 98264. A private graveside service will be at Hawthorne Cemetery of Mount Vernon.
