James (aka Jim, Jimmy, weenie, and
pump-handle) VanderVeen, 80, of Sheboygan Falls passed away on April 10, 2018.
With the patience of Job, his very long wait of 8 years, 4 months and 9 days is
finally over and he has been reunited with his wife Ruth (“mother”), the love
of his life.
He was born in Sheboygan on July 31, 1937 to
Gerhard and Hilda (Schaar) VanderVeen and welcomed, adored and battered by his
4 older sisters Marcy, Dee, Helen and Marlene; younger sister Betty would give
him what-for in the years to follow.
Except for the time in which he served his
country, Jim lived his entire life in Sheboygan Falls. In his youth, he
delivered milk by horse and wagon for the Sheboygan Falls Creamery Co. and did
a couple of “grease-monkey gigs” before enlisting in the U.S. Army in
March 1955. After traipsing around Europe, he was drawn back home where he
eventually met his future everything. As he would say, she was “so thin she
could stand in the rain sideways and not get wet” and “possessed a voice deep
enough to sing baritone” …. apparently, these are the keys to a successful
marriage. Married on June 27,1959 at The Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa.
They shared the kind of love and a life together that could consume a person
with envy; that is if not already overwhelmed with tears as their beautiful
love story unfolded right before our eyes. After 50 years together, Ruth lost
her battle with cancer and left Jim broken-hearted but not alone. His children,
grandchildren and the occasional straggler denied him peace and quiet as they
congregated around his kitchen table every Saturday morning seeking mediocre
pancakes and cheap coffee. After 436 Saturdays, he never tired of it and it
came to become a highlight for each and every one of them.
Jim worked at the Kohler Co. for almost 40
years and packed his tool box one last time in January 1998. He made a fine
housewife before Ruth joined him in retirement in 2006. Not one to take
retirement lightly, he kept himself busy and out of mischief with endless
projects. Anyone who knew him well, was made richer with the fruits of his
labor. Everything from beehives to wine-racks and each one tagged with a penny
from the year it was made. He claimed this ensured that all of his work was
worth at least 1 cent.
Regarding all of that “stuff” he refused to
throw away (regardless of any argument to purge), it would in the end haunt
each and every one of his children and grand-children. By the grace of
ingenuity, he would eventually repurpose portions of his collection for undertakings
in each of their own homes. Leaving them speechless and in awe as apparently
father really does know best. And now those doting children are left wondering
what the heck to do with it all, since each lacks their father’s vision for any
potential from a partial roll of rusted chicken wire.
Jim is survived by his above-average children;
the nurturing Faye (Jeff) Flom of Sheboygan Falls, the generous Joy (Earl)
Mueller of Manitowoc, the well-intended Gail VanderVeen of Kohler and
care-giver-extraordinaire, Gary VanderVeen of Sheboygan Falls. He is also
survived by the best-looking grandchildren, Katie (David) Martin, Therese
(friend Nick Schipper) Gabrielse, Jared Flom; and great-grandchildren, Aaron
and Seth Wade; two sisters, Helen Winter of Appleton and Betty Schirpke of Marshfield;
and one sister-in-law, Judy Bruggink of Menasha, and numerous nieces and
nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife Ruth
(Onnink) VanderVeen; an infant daughter Nancy; parents, Gerhard and Hilda
(Schaar) VanderVeen; father and mother-in-law Reuben and Olive (Bloomers)
Onnink; three sisters, Marcella (Harold) Hopp, Delores Krueger, Marlene (Jim)
Gross; and two brothers-in-law, Bob Winter and Owen Bruggink.
A tremendous and heartfelt thank-you to all
of the truly wonderful health care providers who lovingly assisted him through
so very, very much. A special thanks to Jeffrey Tomasini MD, Cheruppolil
Santhosh-Kumar MD, Ron Rekowski RN, Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice
staff and most certainly “doctor” Brenda Mauer RN.
A funeral to celebrate Jim’s life will take
place at the Wenig Funeral Home in Sheboygan Falls on Saturday, April 14, 2018
at 10 am. Burial will follow at Sheboygan Falls Cemetery.
Friends and family can visit at the Wenig
Funeral Home on Friday from 4-7 pm, and on Saturday from 9 am until the time of
the service at 10 am.
For online condolences and additional
information please visit www.wenigfh.com
A memorial fund is being established in his
memory to the Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice.
The staff of the Wenig Funeral Home in
Sheboygan Falls is serving the VanderVeen family.
Have the mints ready, Ruthie…. he’s coming
for you!
