Joanne Mildred Van Dyck

Joanne Mildred Van Dyck, 89, a resident of the Portland community passed away on October 28th, 2025 at Sylvan Heights Care Home.

Joanne was born on December 20th, 1935 in Chicago, IL. She was the first of three children born to Bernard and Thelma (Follesvold) Donahe. She was raised in Chicago until age 14 when her family moved to Sweet Home, OR. She graduated from Sweet Home High School with the Class of 1953.

In 1954, Joanne married Cordell K. Sele. They made their home in Sweet Home, where they had three children. In 1966, Joanne and Cordell moved their family to Wenatchee, WA for his work. Joanne worked at the Eye and Ear Clinic there for over nine years. After a divorce, she attended Wenatchee Valley College where she earned her respiratory therapist degree.

Joanne moved to West Linn in 1978 where she worked as a respiratory therapist at Willamette Falls Hospital for over eight years.

Joanne met her future husband, Pastor David Van Dyck, through mutual friends. They were united in marriage in July of 1984. Dave brought five adult children to the marriage. Joanne thrived as a Pastor's wife. Dave served as an interim Pastor in many churches while they were married. In 1985, Joanne and David moved to Springfield, OR for a Pastoral position. While there, Joanne attended University of Oregon where she earned her bachelor's degree in English Literature in 1993. She wanted to be an elementary teacher, but health issues interfered with that plan.

Eventually Dave and Joanne ended up in Hillsboro, Oregon where Dave was a beloved pastor at the Old Scotch Church. In 1998 Joanne and Dave retired and lived in their country home adjacent to the church, before downsizing to a condominium in Beaverton. Joanne was widowed in 2006.

Joanne loved spending time with Dave and family at the rustic cabin on Wildhorse Island in Montana. She was a world traveler, a dream that she had since high school. She visited China and Norway twice, England, Denmark, Holland and Nova Scotia. She also traveled the East Coast and enjoyed an Alaskan cruise.

Joanne loved reading, sewing, journaling, and music. Her collection of books was massive. Joanne especially enjoyed time with her family, which was an important focus of hers. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren brought so much joy to her life.

Joanne's Christian faith was of paramount importance to her throughout her entire life, including when times became difficult and her world narrowed toward the end.

She is preceded in death by her husband David, parents, Bernard and Thelma, brother Jerry Donahe and brother-in-law Dick Estep.

She is survived by her three children; Michael Sele (Vicki) of Sweet Home, Karen Petersen (Dave) of Portland, Darby Sele of Vancouver, David's five children; Kathy Van Dyck (Stan) of Pensacola, FL, Judy Van Dyck- Kokich (Richard) of Portland, Wendy Van Dyck (Gordon) of Elk, CA, Michael Van Dyck (Amanda) of Friday Harbor, WA, Chris Van Dyck of Munich, Germany, fourteen grandchildren, fourteen great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be sent to the Oregon Food Bank, which she supported for many years.