Calvin Remembers Howard Van Till and Penny Dykstra-Pruim

The Calvin University community is grieving the loss of two former, long-time staff members. Howard Van Till taught physics and astronomy at Calvin from 1965-1998. He died on July 31, 2024, at the age of 85. Pennylyn (Penny) Dykstra-Pruim served at Calvin University for nearly two decades as both a professor of German and an associate dean for diversity and inclusion. She died on Aug. 16, 2024, at the age of 58, following a lengthy battle with cancer. 

Howard Van Till

As a youngster, Van Till showed an early interest in science, surviving numerous “experiments” conducted at his home in Modesto, Calif. He graduated from Calvin in 1960 and earned a Ph.D. from Michigan State University in 1965.

He returned to his alma mater and began teaching astronomy, an interest that would shape his entire research and teaching career.

With his focus on astrophysics, Van Till oversaw the Calvin observatory and supervised many student observatory assistants. To honor his contributions, Calvin students named an asteroid after Van Till when they discovered it in 2005.

Throughout his career, Van Till published numerous articles in professional and religious publications. But it was the publication of his first book in 1986, The Fourth Day, that drew heightened attention and stimulated Calvin and the church to grapple with issues surrounding the intersection of faith and science. 

“Howard Van Till was part of a long line of faculty at Calvin who thought deeply and persistently about the relationship between Christian faith and worldview, on the one hand, and scientific study on the other,” said Will Katerberg, curator of Calvin’s Heritage Hall and a professor of history.

“Van Till stands out for his determined, deep scholarship, with a variety of collaborators, and for continuing his work despite attacks on not just his writings but also his character,” Katerburg said. “In the long run he profoundly shaped conversations about faith and learning not just at Calvin but in Christian higher education more widely.”

Van Till is survived by his wife, Betty; children, Steve (Robin), Roger (Mary), Nancy, and MaryBeth (Scott); eight grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Read more from Calvin about Van Till.

Pennylyn (Penny) Dykstra-Pruim

Dykstra-Pruim regularly brought chocolate to share at department meetings and left encouraging notes attached to packets of tea on her colleagues’ desks. These touches of hospitality left clues about how she lived.

“Penny was hospitable, always trying to make new people feel welcome and thought of,” said Herm De Vries, who had the benefit of both studying German alongside her as an undergraduate student at Calvin and then later teaching with her in the German department for her entire tenure.

“Those who worked with her will remember who she was before what she did,” said David Smith, a colleague of Dykstra-Pruim’s in the German department. “She was a warm-hearted and gently constructive person.”

“Penny could articulate, like few others, to all sorts of audiences, how important language learning and learning about other cultures is—and how much it is needed in our world,” said De Vries.

That led her to create learning materials to help with cross-cultural engagement, including several innovative, nationally used textbooks for teaching and learning German.

“Every class period was carefully organized, and she would maximize every minute,” said De Vries.

And her classes took place not only inside four walls. 

In 2012, 2014, and 2016, she co-led “Transforming Cambodia” interim trips alongside professors Leonard De Rooy and David Dornbos. And as the students were setting off on their travels, she gave them an assignment.

“Penny developed a booklet we printed and gave to each student to complete on the way to and while in both Thailand and Cambodia,” said Doornbos. “The booklet had an extensive set of questions about self and awareness of the attributes of people in other cultures – and particularly those of Southeast Asia. There were lists of key words and phrases in Khmer, along with descriptions of how common gestures in the West are problematic or offensive in Cambodia.”

“Penny had a heart that saw and heard all people. Sure, she participated in and led a fair share of devotions with students, but her faith and skill set her apart in another way—her intercultural awareness and ability to help others become more interculturally sensitive,” said Dornbos. 

“Penny’s various projects were often tethered to the basic biblical ideas of love of neighbor and hospitality to strangers,” said Smith. “She was clearly focused on the learners and their learning experience, and she created culturally rich learning experiences.”

“Her cross-cultural awareness and ability to help others become sensitive to what might otherwise not be seen or noticed are part of her legacy,” said Dornbos.

During her two decades at Calvin, Dykstra-Pruim taught her students and colleagues how to build bridges across diversity and difference. Her compassion, creativity, thoughtfulness, and thoroughness are key reasons why she was asked to serve in a formal role at the university in helping to lead its diversity and inclusion efforts.

Dykstra-Pruim is survived by her husband, Randy; her children, Andrew (Hannah) Pruim, Nik (Maia) Pruim, and Jason Pruim; sibling, Paula (Alan) Rindels; in-laws, Julie (Mike) Fernandes, Brad (Laura) Pruim, Mark (Chriss) Pruim, Jen Pruim; parents-in-law, Jay and Bev Pruim; and many loving nieces, nephews, and friends. Read more from Calvin about Dykstra-Pruim.