Bessie Elizabeth Van Hurk age 98, of Celina, Ohio passed away peacefully on Friday, July 7, 2023 at the Miller Place Nursing Home in Celina. She was born on June 18, 1925 in Columbus, Ohio to the late Joshua and Charlotte (Smith) Hoenie. On Aug. 2, 1941 she married her first husband Adrian Donald Poppe, who died in 1985. On May 12, 1988, she married Manual Van Hurk, who died in 2004.

Bessie is survived by her two daughter Charlotte Gray of Celina and Tonda Poppe of Novelty. She has 16 grandchildren, 40 great grandchildren and 33 great-great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, both of her husbands, a daughter Connie Bollenbacher, a son Dennis Poppe, two grandchildren, her sons-in-law, Ronald Gray, Dennis Gilligan and her brother Merle Hoenie.

Bessie and Adrian ran a farm and livestock trucking business in Celina. She was also employed at Huffy Bicycle plant in Celina for nineteen years. Due to Adrian's declining health they retired to a small farm in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan and wintered in Texas. They enjoyed traveling and developed many lasting friendships and later in life Bessie married fellow traveler Manual Van Hurk. They continued to travel until 2005.

She was a member of the Celina Church of the Nazarene, where she taught Bible studies. This passion for Bible studies continued with "Bessie's Tuesday Bible Study" at the Miller Place. She enjoyed gardening and arranging floral bouquets, needle point and knitting.

A Memorial Service will be held for Bessie at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 22, 2023 at the Lehman-Dzendzel Funeral Home in Celina, with Rev. Chris Riffle officiating. Friends and family may gather and hour before services at the Funeral Home. Bessie will be laid to rest in the Mercer Memory Gardens Cemetery in Celina, with her first husband Adrian.

Memorial contributions may be made in honor of Bessie Van Hurk to the Celina Church of the Nazarene 900 Fairground Rd. Celina, Ohio 45822 or the Mercer County Council on Aging 217 Riley St. Celina, Ohio 45822. Condolences may be shared with the Van Hurk family on-line at LehmanDzendzelFH.com.

Mercer County Council on Aging
217 Riley St., Celina OH 45822

Celina Church of the Nazarene
900 Fairground Rd., Celina OH 45822
Tel: 1-419-586-4212