On July 6, 1975, Mandy Lynn was born to Julie Lee (Fisk) and Steven Virgil Mattox in Pella, Iowa. She lived with her mother and step-father, Julie and David Van Dyke while attending Pella Community Schools. She graduated from Pella High School in 1993. Mandy belonged to a blended family with two sisters, Nichole Van Dyke and Sarah Mattox and one brother, Benjamin Mattox. During high school, Mandy was active initially as a wrestling cheerleader and her remaining three years as the manager of the wrestling team. The team always respected her. While in high school she and her mother both worked at Country Kitchen in Pella. Mandy enrolled with the American Institute of Business College in Des Moines, Iowa in 1993 and completed an Associates Degree in Computer Science. On April 13, 1996, she was united in marriage with R. Shane Bellon at the First Reformed Church in Pella, Iowa. Mandy was employed at Vermeer Manufacturing as a Quality Assurance Administrative Assistant from 1998 until 2001. During this time two daughters were born: Bailey Shayne on August 23, 1998 and Jenna Lynn on October 26, 2001. The family moved to Altoona, Iowa in December 2001 at which time Mandy became an IT Analyst for The Weitz Company where she was employed until May of 2005. She was then employed as a Quality Assurance Analyst for Data Builder, Inc. for a year and in May of 2006 became employed with Tek Systems, Inc. At the present time, Mandy was a Quality Assurance Leader for the Iowa Foundation for Medical Care. On Tuesday morning, May 20, 2008, Mandy died of injuries received in a single car accident near Altoona, Iowa at the age of just 32 years, 10 months and 14 days. Mandy leaves behind her two lovely young daughters, Bailey Shayne Bellon, age 9 years; Jenna Lynn Bellon, age 6 years; their father R. Shane Bellon of Bondurant, Iowa; her mother, Julie L. (Fisk) Van Dyke and her husband Larry Murphy of Windsor Heights, Iowa; her father, Steven V. Mattox and step-mother Jeri (Roozeboom) Mattox of Isla Mujeres, Mexico; her step-father, David Van Dyke and wife Linda (Sheldon) of Woodstock, Illinois; her siblings, Nichole Van Dyke of Gillette, Wyoming; Sarah Mattox and niece Isabelle Mattox of Overland Park, Kansas; and Benjamin Mattox of Des Moines, Iowa; her maternal grandmother, Linda (Zickel) Fisk of Oskaloosa, Iowa; paternal grandparents: Melvin and Fern (Lewis) Mattox of Ottumwa, Iowa; Pat (McCombs) Roozeboom of Knoxville, Iowa; and her special friend, Zac Sadler of Des Moines, Iowa, along with many other friends and family who will miss her deeply. Mandy was preceded in death by her maternal grandfather, Larry Fisk; a paternal grandfather, Henry Roozeboom and paternal grandparents, Jake and Betty (Sonnenberg) Van Dyke; and a cousin, Jory James Fisk. Mandy was a fun loving person, who was always on the go. She enjoyed playing softball, volleyball, bowling, and bunco. Mandy seldom met anyone who did not become a friend.


Memorials may be given to a trust fund established for Mandy's daughters, Bailey Shayne and Jenna Lynn or to Amanda the Panda, a grief counseling camp for children. Checks for the trust can be made payable to "Julie Van Dyke FBO Bailey & Jenna", and mailed to: 6610 Lincoln Ave, Windsor Heights, IA 50322.

Van Dyk - Duven Funeral Home