Joyce DeLaney Vander Linden

Born : July 1, 1933 in Paris Missouri to Marion Dean DeLaney and Ruth Gray DeLaney. She had one sibling : June who was seventeen years her senior. This was quite a rarity for such a difference in ages of only two children . It made the local newspapers as such. She was immersed into Christ in the First Christian Church in Paris, MO at the age of 14. Educated in the Paris public schools she graduated in 1951 and continued her education at Drury College in Springfield , MO and Transferring To Northeast Missouri State Teachers College in Kirksville, Missouri. Later the name was changed to Truman State. This is where she met her future husband Donald Vander Linden in 1954. Who hailed from Oskaloosa, IA. After going together for two or three weeks they realized their Christian beliefs were very compatible and were married two years later on May 27, 1956 in Paris MO at the First Christian Church. She had a two year teaching certificate and secured a position in the Oskaloosa School System. So they moved to Oskaloosa where Don finished his degree and Joyce continued working on her degree at the local college “William Penn University” in summer school . And receiving her degree in 1961. Now with Don teaching in a small school close by they decided to look for a job in the same School System. This excursion took them to positions in four different school systems including Charles City, IA, Altoona, IA, Cedar Rapids, IA and finally ending up in Newton, Iowa where she spent the last 24 years of her full time teaching. While in Charles City a baby daughter was born , Kim Elaine Vander Linden and while in Altoona she was blessed with a son, Daniel Paul Vander Linden. She loved the children and always went the extra mile for them, not only her own children , but all who she encountered. After retiring she and her husband moved to Peoria , AZ in 1995 where she placed her membership in the Church of Christ at West Olive . Joyce could not stay away from teaching and soon found herself subbing in the Peoria School District , mostly at Cotton Bowl Elementary School with her many friends . She was scheduled to teach on Feb. 5th but had to cancel because of sickness. She was preceded in death by her Parents, Her sister and brother-in-law (Lyle) Popkeys and a nephew Larry Dean Popkeys on her side of the family. And her beloved son-in law, Steve Koeppen. And several others on her husband’s side of the family.She is survived by her husband Don of Peoria, AZ, Her Daughter , Kim Koeppen of White Bear Lake, MN, Her son Daniel of Imperial Beach, CA. Three Grand Children :Caitlyn Marie Morant of El Cajon, CA, Donald James Vander Linden of Imperial Beach CA and Salli Andrea Koeppen of White Bear Lake MN and a niece : Jane (Charlie) Callis of Paris, MO Also brothers and sister-n laws on Don’s side of the family: Kenneth (Marcia) Vander Linden Bloomington, IN ……Bill (Ann) Vander Linden Fairview, TN ……. Dorothy Moore Oskaloosa, IA,……..Alice Howard Meridian, Idaho …info@many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. Memorial services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, February 16, 2018 at the West Olive Church of Christ, 10935 W. Olive Ave., Peoria, Arizona.