Jo-Ellen Van Oort (nee Frye), age 83 of Teaneck, NJ formerly of Hopewell Junction, NY, died Sunday December 18, 2011.
Beloved wife of the late Rev. Harold Van Oort. Loving companion to Joseph Ayton. Devoted mother of Meredith Phillipps and her husband Tony, Leslie Durrant and her late husband Mark, Laura LoPresti and her husband Curt. Dear sister of the late Jean Bowles. Loving grandmother of Matthew and Katie Phillipps, Allegra, Diana and Rachel Durrant, Michelle and Timothy LoPresti. She was a Registered Nurse obtaining her Bachelors of Science Degree from Washington University in St. Louis and her Master’s Degree from Seton Hall University. As a young nurse she worked as Head nurse at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis , MO. In 1953 she married Harold Van Oort and started married life as a minister’s wife. He was the love of her life until his untimely death in 1973. At that time she began working as a Licensed Practical Nursing instructor at Holy Name Hospital until her retirement in 1997. She loved traveling, the arts-especially ballet, music and reading, but most of all she loved teaching Practical Nursing at Holy Name Hospital. Special thanks and appreciation to the great staff at Holy Name Hospital who took such loving care of her in her final days. Family and friends are invited to visit Wednesday 2-4 & 7-9 PM at the Volk Leber Funeral Home, 789 Teaneck Road, Teaneck, NJ. A funeral service will be held at The Second Reformed Church, Hackensack, Thursday at 11AM. Interment to follow at Hopewell Junction Cemetery, Hopewell Junction, NY. In lieu of flowers, donations to The Holy Name Hospital School of Practical Nursing, 718 Teaneck Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666, Attention of the Jo-Ellen Van Oort Scholarship Fund would be appreciated.