William VanderVeen

Faith, family, and fond memories. These were the things Bill VanderVeen cherished most in his life, a wonderful life so full of each. He was a member of our Greatest Generation, a patriotic, Christian man who devoted his entire life to his country, his family and his faith. Bill was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend, and a blessing to all who knew him.

Bill’s story began on a cool fall day in 1924, in the bustling city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Those were exciting times in this country, the heyday of the Roaring 20s, when Big Bands were king and Prohibition was the law of the land. On October 2, 1924, John and Rosa (Buffington) VanderVeen celebrated the birth of a baby boy, a son they named William.

Bill was the baby of five children in the family’s home on Aberdeen NE, joining older siblings Irene, Ruth, Herman and Nell. His father was a hardworking employee with the Kent County Road Commission, while his mother cared for the home.

Bill attended Knapp Elementary School as a little boy, until the schoolhouse burned down one day, and he switched to Huff School instead. He later attended Creston High School, though soon he’d have a more important calling than studies and schoolwork.

The darkening skies of World War II had thundered to our shores by then, and Bill was anxious to do his part. So as soon as he was old enough, he dropped out of high school in his junior year, and he and a friend went down to the Navy recruitment office and enlisted. As legend has it, he enlisted and then called his parents to tell them the news!

Bill shipped out aboard the USS Clark, a Naval Destroyer-class warship charged with patrolling the South American ports, and later the dangerous job of protecting the convoys between England and France. Bill served as a Torpedo man, and though he wouldn’t talk much about his service later in life, he did have his share of stories in addition to the two Battle Stars he earned aboard the Clark.

When the war ended and his service along with it, Bill returned to his hometown. First he had to find his parents’ new home, as they had moved while he was gone. He finally found his folks, and also found work, at the Knapp Avenue Creamery. He found much more than a steady paycheck at the creamery, though.

One day he was working when he met a beautiful young woman named Lucille Van Houte. Wanting to catch her attention, he playfully threw a bottle of milk at Lucille, only to have it shatter all over the floor! Though not what he had planned, Bill succeeded in getting her attention, and a lifelong love was formed that day.

The two began dating, and enjoyed sharing Bill’s passion for fishing together. They enjoyed those quiet dates fishing, chatting and getting to know each other better. Eventually, they had fallen deeply in love, and were soon married.

The newlyweds settled into a little home on Scribner Street for awhile, before moving to the north side of Grand Rapids, where they lived in several different places. Eventually, they bought a home on Durham Street, where they lived most of their lives.

Bill took a job at a small printing house called Monarch Printing, where he operated the presses. He enjoyed the job, and it provided well for his new bride, and soon enough, his growing family, too. The couple was blessed with their daughter, Jacquelyn, and sons Randall and Rick, who filled their lives with such pride and joy over the years.

Bill hadn’t grown up as a particularly religious person, but having seen how blessed he was with his loving family, he found a powerful faith welling inside him. He says if had never met Lucille, he never would have found God, and the family faithfully attended the Free Reformed Church of North America, where they raised their children to be good Christian people.

Bill worked hard to provide for his family at the print shop, but because it was a small operation and he worked alone most of the time, the outgoing Bill took a night and weekend job as a salesman at places like Wurzberg’s and Dekker Appliance Store, where he enjoyed talking to people.

After several years at Monarch Printing, Bill took a new job at Grand Rapids Printing Company, charged with running their offset presses. It was a bigger company, and a good job, where he would remain the rest of his career.

When he wasn’t working, Bill could be found with his beloved family. He was the consummate family man, and he and Lucille were very involved in their children’s lives, supporting all their endeavors and sporting events.

Of course, Bill and Lucille were equally active at their church, where they attended many different functions and where Bill served as a Deacon and an elder, too.

Bill and his beloved bride enjoyed traveling together, from short trips around West Michigan, to longer adventures out West, to the Canadian Rockies, or even to Maine and British Columbia. As he got older, though, Bill preferred to be close to home, and close to his family. Even fishing and golf, two of his favorite pastimes when he was younger, took a backseat to his wife, children, and grandchildren.

After he retired in the late 1980s, he had more time to spend with them, of course, but also worked part time at Avis rental cars, which he enjoyed like a hobby. His favorite retirement activity was spending time with Lucille in the yard, relaxing with one of his many pet dogs while she tended to her gardening.

Sadly, Bill’s beloved Lucille died in 2006, and he was understandably deeply saddened. It wasn’t long before his health began to decline, as well, and he moved into an assisted living facility at Kent Community Hospital. Then, in September of 2007, Bill took ill, and entered Butterworth Hospital, where he sadly died on Thursday, September 13, 2007, at the age of 82.

Bill was as a very loving husband, father, and grandfather and a patriotic person, as well. Above all, Bill loved the Lord, who blessed his life with a beautiful family, just as we were so blessed to have known him. He will be greatly missed.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife Lucille VanderVeen, his sisters Irene Alger, Ruth DeHaan and his brother Herman VanderVeen. Surviving are his children: Jacquelyn and Bennett West, Randall and Carol VanderVeen, Rick W. VanderVeen; his grandchildren Lauren West, Corie VanderVeen, Bradd VanderVeen; his sister, Nell Makarewicz, his sister-in-law, Dorothy VanderVeen, his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Cornelius and Lillian Van Houte, Ted Langler, Harold Winthrop and several nieces and nephews. Mr. VanderVeen honorably served his country during WWII in the U.S. Navy. Funeral services will be held Monday at 11 A.M. at the Heritage Life Story Funeral Home, Van Strien – Creston Chapel, 1833 Plainfield N.E. with Dr. Gerald Bilkes of the Free Reformed Church of North America officiating. Interment will be in Fairplains Cemetery. Mr. VanderVeen reposes at the funeral home where relatives and friends may meet his family Sunday from 2-4 and 7-9 P.M. For those who wish, memorial contributions to the American Heart Association or the American Cancer Society would be appreciated. To read more of William’s Life Story, share a memory or sign the online register book please visit www.lifestorynet.com.