04/27/2026
Nelda J. Van Baalen
Nelda Van Baalen of Peru passed away at Blair Ridge Health Campus on April 25, 2026. Nelda, was born September 21, 1937 to the late Russell and Lucille Linden. The daughter of a butcher, as a young child, Nelda would go into the field to work with her father and help with butchering cows and chickens. Nelda was a 1955 graduate of Logansport High School where she met her future husband Phil. They would marry later that same year and were together nearly 50 years before Phil passed in May of 2005.
Nelda worked in the Peru High School cafeteria before joining Phil in their family business in 1973. What started as a family shoe store would become a four store regional sporting goods business with Phil working out front and Nelda keeping books in the back finding success until retirement nearly 25 years later. Nelda’s real passion as her children grew older was being a grandmother. She’d drop everything to spend any time, fix meals and go to events of her young grandsons.
Nelda is survived by four children. Jeff (Sherry) of Largo, Florida, Tammy of Fort Wayne, David (Trish) of Peru and Phil (Lisa) of Peru. She has four grandsons all living in Peru. Travis, Ben, Joe and Jake. Two step granddaughters Tina McGrady and Joanie Knauff. Two great grandchildren. Five step great grandchildren and five step great-great grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister Lois Wilkinson, a brother in law Eugene Seeger and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband and parents she was preceded in death by her older sister Beverly who died at birth, a brother Donald Linden and her youngest sister Bonnie Seeger.
Services will be at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 6, 2026 at Riverview Funeral Home, 421 W. Canal St., Peru. Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until the time of the service. Burial will follow at Mt. Hope Cemetery. Condolences can be shared with the family at www.riverviewfhperu.com.
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