Cornelius "Neal" VanderVelde

Cornelius "Neal" VanderVelde will be remembered as a loving husband and a wise and caring father. Although his life ended unexpectedly at only fifty-eight years of age, his life was full of his love for God, travel, hard work, and black licorice.

In 1945 World War II consumed all of Europe; even the neutral nations Norway and The Netherlands found themselves occupied by Hitler's invasive forces. However, in that historic year, the Netherlands finally achieved liberation against the Germans. Spirits were high across the entire country, but perhaps no family was happier than that of Tjeerd "Ted" and Mettina (Hoekzema) VanderVelde who celebrated the birth of their third child on June 2, 1945, just one month after the Netherlands was liberated.

Growing up during a time of peace and prosperity in the Netherlands, Neal and his four siblings enjoyed their traditional childhood greatly. Neal's father worked to support the family as a laborer making cardboard out of straw, while Mettina was a caring homemaker, who showered her children with love and strong values.

As a child, Neal and his siblings remember wearing wooden shoes and walking a lot! Perhaps that is why it was considered such a treat for the VanderVelde family to have a bicycle, which Ted rode ten miles to work each day. However, even when Ted went to work on the windmill, the children could still not escape their father's watchful eye. Mettina often warned that since the landscape was so flat around where they lived his father could even see the children while he worked, giving the kids ample reason to behave.

The family loved their life in the Netherlands, but enjoyed the letters they received from Mettina's cousins in the US so much they would often dream of going there. At the time the United States was a land full of opportunities, and the family finally decided to make the journey, settling in Grand Rapids in 1958..

It was in Grand Rapids that Neal first started school at Oakdale Christian School. Even during elementary school, Neal would always read and he especially enjoyed comic books, which he would use as a tool to learn English. Neal also showed an early talent and love for art and drawing. Therefore, Neal's decision to become an Engineer seemed natural. He attended school at Calvin College and began working at Bergsma Bros. Furniture during his junior year.

Neal was always a hard worker, but he began to enjoy his job at the furniture company even more after he noticed a girl named Sue Van Enk. He was so stricken with Sue that he couldn't seem to muster up the courage to even talk to her. Finally, however, as fate would have it, in February of 1967 he asked her out on a date. The two enjoyed each other's company so much that they began to spend a lot of time together. Since the two didn't have much money, they would take advantage of free school activities. Together the couple attended student movies, side trips to Kalamazoo or Grand Haven, and Calvin's Junior-Senior Banquet.

After dating for over a year, Neal and Sue were married on November 15, 1968. After a beautiful honeymoon in Niagara Falls, they moved into an old converted farmhouse in Cutlererville. At this time Neal worked as an engineer while Sue stayed home and raised their five children: Nancy, Bill, James, David, and Sara.

Although a hard worker, Neal always took time for his children. A lover of knowledge, Neal would encourage his kids to read by always picking out a book for them. They children have fond memories of venturing up to the family attic and choosing Dutch books for their father to read, or taking trips to the library and spending the afternoon searching for a book.

Neal also enjoyed driving and taking the family on both large and small trips, such as drives through Grand Rapids to visit the Fish Ladder, or camping out in the family pop up camper, which the family later used to travel to San Antonio, Arkansas, and eventually Baltimore to visit their oldest daughter Nancy.

As an engineer, Neal always had a meticulous and mechanical mind. He took a lot of care in all of his endeavors and would never rush into anything, feeling it was better to think things through first. A craftsman, Neal built most of the furniture in the family home and could also be counted on to fix the clocks and electronics around the house when they needed to be repaired. It seemed those sorts of things always made sense to the logical Neal.

Besides being a hard worker, Neal also enjoyed the simpler things in life. He loved to read, especially the National Geographic and the book of Revelations. As a devout Christian, Neal was a member of West Leonard Christian Reformed Church for 28 years. During his membership, he served as a Deacon, Cadet Counselor, most recently a treasurer, and could also always be counted on as a standby janitor. His faith, based on a firm foundation, was very important to him.

Because of his devotion to church, Sundays in the VanderVelde household were divided between church and the long Sunday walks Neal cherished. He would take the children across the street to Richmond Park. Though the children often feared becoming lost in the dangerous woods, they always felt secure in their strong father leading them home safely.

Neal was a quiet, responsible provider who relished watching and photographing the beautiful sunsets at Grand Haven; he also enjoyed walking to Richmond Corner for Moose Track ice cream and black licorice, and he loved his family. He will always be remembered as a man who was "in it for the long haul" and never dwelled on the sorrows in life. For Neal, everyday was his best day.

When Neal went to join his savior on December 2, 2003, he left behind Sue, his beloved wife of 35 years; caring children Nancy VanderVelde and Tom Shepley; William VanderVelde and fiancée Stacy Livingston; James, David, and Sara VanderVelde. Also surviving are his brothers Douglas (Joanne) VanderVelde, and Bruce (Lori) VanderVelde; brothers-in-law, Henry Yntema and Keith (Mary) Van Enk; and many nieces and nephews. Neal was preceded in death by his parents Tjeerd and Mettina (Hoekzema) VanderVelde and sister, Gretta Yntema.

The Funeral service for Neal will be held at 2 P.M. on Monday, December 8, 2003 at the West Leonard Christian Reformed Church, 1053 Leonard N.W. Relatives and friends are welcome to gather and share their memories at the Van't Hof Chapel, 851 Leonard St. NW on Sunday from 2-4 P.M. and 7-9 P.M. To read Neal's full life story, share a memory, order flowers, or make a memorial contribution to the Cornelius VanderVelde Memorial fund (care of Fifth Third Bank) Please visit Neal's personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com.