Ruth Fels Van Dyk

Ruth Fels Van Dyk, age 95 years, of Flemington, NJ, passed away in the early morning on Monday, November 27, 2023, surrounded by her loving family.

Born in Fürth, Germany, April 8, 1928, she was the daughter of the late Leo and Emily Theresa (Lägel) Fels. Ruth and her family emigrated to New York as a refugee from the Holocaust after WWII, an experience that shaped the rest of her life.

After graduating from Hunter College in New York City, she worked at the headquarters of the Reformed Church in America, where she met her husband of 53 years, Gerard. They had three children who grew up with a deep respect for the cultures that their parents had left behind in Germany and Holland.

After her children were grown, Ruth settled in New Jersey and went to work at Siemens AG., where her fluency in German enabled her to manage overseas transactions and forge long lasting friendships. She worked there for 35 years until her retirement.

Ruth loved gardening, knitting, crocheting, and stayed active throughout her life. She shared her passion for skiing, swimming, tennis, and biking with her family, often taking them to their home in the Poconos. As she grew older, she replaced active sports with a daily walk which she did well into her 90s. An avid reader, not a day went by where she didn’t follow the happenings in the world, especially if it could impact her children in any way. Above all, Ruth loved her family, always placing them (and their pets) front and center. She was especially proud of her grandson, Joseph, whom she called her Sunshine. Ruth was also a loyal and true friend maintaining correspondence with some of her friends for well over 70 years.

In addition to her parents and sister, Ruth was predeceased by her husband, the late Rev. Dr. Gerard Van Dyk, who died in 2014. Surviving are her three children, Joel Mark Van Dyk (Calia) of London, England, David Paul Van Dyk of Flemington, NJ, and Elizabeth Ruth Van Dyk of Forest Hills Gardens, NY, and her grandson, Joseph Van Dyk.

Graveside services will be held on Friday, December 1, 2023, at 3:00 PM in the family plot at Prospect Hill Cemetery, Capner Street, Flemington, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in her memory be directed towards The American Heart Association, 1 Union Street, Suite 302, Robbinsville, NJ 08691.

Cremation services and arrangements are under the direction of the Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, 147 Main Street, Flemington, NJ 08822. For further information or to send an online condolence, please visit her Tribute Wall at www.holcombefisher.com.