Myrna Louise Van Tuyle

Myrna Louise (Dohm) Van Tuyle, 89, of Dowagiac, passed away on Saturday, December 15, 2018 at the family farm on Dewey Lake Street following a brief illness. She was born April 24, 1929 in Berrien County to Charles W. and Ruth (Knee) Dohm and was a lifelong area resident. On July 23, 1950 she married Levi Van Tuyle at the Daily Bible Church and they enjoyed wonderful years together building the family farm, raising their children, a few winters in Florida and traveling until his passing in 2001. Myrna kept very busy with the farm and being a housewife and mother. She was involved in 4H, gardening, and loved cooking, and baking. She also loved to crochet, do needle point, and a variety of other crafts while sharing all those skills and teaching others. Both family and friends will remember being comforted by the crocheted items and other crafts they received as gifts and the baked goods they enjoyed. She won countless craft ribbons and awards for her efforts, helped with the style shows and was on the committee for the Agnes Gregarek building at the Cass County Fair. She could also be found at Hale’s Hardware, where she worked for 39 years, hanging up her apron for good in 2014. Myrna is survived by sons, William (Susan) Van Tuyle and Joseph Van Tuyle, daughters Mary (Robert) Smith, Betty (Jeff) Lohroff, and Diane Miller. Myrna welcomed the hugs of 14 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild and all will miss her very much along with many nieces, nephews and extended family. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, a daughter Karen (in 1959), and all seven siblings; Hazel (Dohm) Price, Lorna (Dohm) Bauer, Donna (Dohm) Stewart, Ernest W. Dohm, Kenneth C. Dohm, Edward H. Dohm, and Charles F. Dohm. A Celebration of Myrna’s life will be held at the Clark Chapel, 405 Center St., Dowagiac on Thursday, December 20, 2018 at 12:00 noon with Kurt Reich of the South Wayne Community Church officiating. The family will visit with friends and share memories of Myrna one hour prior to the service from 11:00am till 12:00 noon. Per Myrna’s wishes cremation will take place following the services. She will join her husband and daughter in a private ceremony at Mission Hills Memorial Gardens. Memorials in lieu of flowers may be directed in Myrna’s name to the Wayne Township Fire Department or Hospice of SW Michigan.