Jacob Van Dalen

Jacob Garrett Van Dalen, age 88, of Wayne passed away peacefully on Monday, March 8, 2021.

Jacob (Jake) was born in Passaic and raised in Clifton. At the age of twelve, his green thumb emerged when he started to work for Ploch’s Farm in Clifton.

In 1953, at the age of 20, Jake was inducted into the U.S. Army where he served stateside as a cook from 1953 to 1955. He attained the rank of Corporal and spent an additional six years as a member of the Army Reserve. For his service, Jake was the recipient of the National Defense Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.

On one of the occasions when Jake was able to come home on temporary leave from the military, his sister Elizabeth invited her good friend Ida Van Der Stad to go for a ride with her and Jake. They drove into New York City and one of Ida’s distinct memories was that Jake, who was doing the driving, ran through every red traffic light that they encountered. In today’s day and age, such driving behavior might land you in jail but this was the 1950’s when there weren’t nearly the number of cars on the road that we see today. That night was the beginning of a loving and devoted relationship that ultimately led to Jake and Ida’s marriage with a ceremony taking place on Friday, June 1, 1956 at the Netherland Reformed Church in Passaic. After the wedding ceremony and reception, Jake and Ida set off on their honeymoon to Niagara Falls on the Canadian Side where they visited the famous Lover’s Lane.

Jake and Ida initially lived in Prospect Park before moving to Wayne in 1964 in the house that Jake built with the help of family and friends. His yard included a large garden where he grew delicious vegetables for his family as well as cultivated flowers for his wife. His favorite was gladiolus which he lovingly picked for her. While Ida primarily raised their daughter and three sons, Jake worked as a chemical operator for Hoffmann-La Roche in Nutley. His career there spanned almost forty years until retirement came at age 62 in 1995. Not one to sit around idly, Jake enjoyed helping his son Jacob who owned greenhouses in Walkill, NY. This was the perfect pastime for Jake who loved gardening so much. His garden meant so much that when scheduled for bypass surgery he told the doctors he had to go home to pick the beans in his backyard garden first.

One of Jake’s other favorite activities was traveling and camping. He and Ida traveled all over the United States and Canada. They especially enjoyed visiting Prince Edward Island (PEI) in Canada which they visited well over twenty times. There were several trips to see the western part of the United States and Canada to see the beauty of God’s creation. The first time in 1959 as a couple and then in 1976, 1978, 1981 (for their 25th anniversary) with their children and finally in 1989 with their new son-in-law. Each year for the last twenty-one years, in August, they held a family reunion at a campground in Lancaster, PA amongst the corn fields. They also enjoyed numerous day trips there as well. Throughout their lives the Van Dalen’s enjoyed camping in tents, a StarCraft pop-up, and various size travel trailers.  Of course, these trailers needed to be pulled by something big and for Jake, there was nothing better than a Suburban to do the job. In all his travels, there was always one thing that accompanied Jake besides his wife, and that was a cup of coffee. In fact, he drank so much coffee, one could easily conclude that it ran through his veins.

Above all, Jake was a man who was truly devoted to his wife, Ida and cherished the times he could spend with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He was affectionately called “Opa” by his grandchildren who will sorely miss him.

Jake is survived by his beloved wife Ida (nee Van Der Stad), blessed in marriage for sixty-four years; one daughter: Ruth Ann and her husband John Bosch of Wayne, their children: Rebecca, Chris-John and his wife Jana; three sons: Jacob Jr. and his wife Laura Van Dalen of Walkill, NY, their children: Kaitlyn, Jacob III, Kristina; Jan Van Dalen and Lori Smith of Easton, MD, his children: Michael and his wife Lacey and their children (Joseph, Caroline, and Samuel), Daniel, Rachel, and Jonathan and his wife Shirley Van Dalen of Grand Rapids, MI, their children: Nathaniel, Colleen, Melanie, and Meghan; his sister Wilhelmina Van Dalen of Riverdale, and brother-in-law Jacob Remus of Pompton Plains; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased in death by his sister Elizabeth Remus in 2019.

Jake was a life time member of the Netherlands Reformed Church in Clifton.

His son-in-law John, who is a chaplain in the Holland Christian Home, will be officiating at the service.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Jacob’s name are asked to consider either the Holland Christian Home (attn: pastoral care) 151 Graham Ave., North Haledon, NJ 07508 or the  Netherland Reformed Christian School Library Fund, 164 Jacksonville Road, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444.