VanLeeuwen, Robert P.

 

Robert P. VanLeeuwen, age 90, of Fremont, passed away Monday, September 28, 2009, at his home.  Bob was born on March 9, 1919, in Detroit to Alexander Edward and Ida (Bacon) VanLeeuwen. Bob grew up in the Royal Oak area where he met and married Frances Rosetta Myles on December 2, 1939, in Detroit. Frances preceded him in death on July 21, 2002.   Before moving to the Fremont area in 1954, Bob and Frances lived in Royal Oak, Michigan;  Anderson, Indiana; Washington, DC; and Terre Haute, Indiana.  Bob had been the manager of the data processing department at the Gerber Products Company in Fremont for several years until his retirement in 1983.  Bob enjoyed gardening, swimming, working on his computer, mentoring and volunteering at NCCS.  Bob treasured spending time with his grandchildren and great grandchildren and especially enjoyed the game of golf.  Bob also served in the United States Navy during World War II.

 

Bob is survived by his daughter, Carol Glasen of Muskegon; his grandchildren, Stephen (Shelly) Sutter of Mendon, Michigan; Matthew (Laura) Sutter of Sturgis, Michigan; Melissa Crysler of Fremont; Angela Zacharias of Muskgon; great grandchildren, Taylor Sutter, Julia Sutter, Sarah Sutter; Ashley Sutter; Addison Sutter Nicole VanDyke; Jordan Dion; his sisters, Pat Anderson of Wixom; Betty VanLeeuwen of Frankenmuth, Michigan.  Bob was preceded in death by his daughter, Karen Chick on December 27, 1997.

 

VISITATION : Thursday, October 1, 2009 from 6-8pm at Crandell Funeral Home – Fremont Chapel.  FUNERAL MEMORIAL SERVICES : Saturday, October 3, 2009, at 1pm at the Fremont United Methodist Church.  INTERMENT : Maple Grove Cemetery.  MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS : American Cancer Society or Newaygo County Community Services Youth Programs.  Friends may send a condolence or share a memory with the VanLeeuwen Family online at www.crandellfh.com.

 

Click here to send a condolence for the Robert P. VanLeeuwen Family on-line

 

                                                                                                                                            

To the VanLeeuwen family,

I'm so sorry to hear of Bob's passing,

He was always so friendly.

Jerry Woodring

 

Posted 9/29/2009

                                                                                                                                            

Please accept my sincere sympathy for your loss.  I knew who your father/grandfather was years ago when I worked at Gerber, but didn’t really get acquainted with him until I became the Lifeline Coordinator at NCCS.  As you know, he has volunteered with that program for over 20 years.  On Labor Day afternoon, he and another elderly friend were at my home.  We had a great visit along with ice cream and the first apple pie of the season.  I will treasure the memory of that time we had together.

 

I will surely miss Bob.  He was such a young 90 year old and I so appreciated his kind, gentle spirit.

 

Sincerely,

 

Marie Richmann

Posted 9/29/2009

                                                                                                                                            

 

I will miss Bob greatly. He was a long time member of NCCS’s LifeLink Advisory Committee. During the past two years he volunteered to assist with the LifeLink booth at the Senior Resource Day events held in Newaygo County. My sincere condolences to his family

 

Charlie Johnson

LifeLink Coordinator  / Accounting Assistant

NCCS / Camp Newaygo

Posted 9/29/2009

                                                                                                                                            

Dear Family of Bob,
Karen was a friend of mine in high school; I choreographed a dance for 
her that she performed!! Bob and Fran will always be dear friends and 
neighbors of our mom, Evelyn McCormick, on Mary Lane; What wonderful 
neighbors they were and now all together again.  I just saw Bob when I 
was at the condo this last July, glad I did.  We always had such nice 
conversations and enjoyed seeing the pictures of your beautiful 
families.  He loved you and had such a twinkle in his eye when he 
spoke of you.  He will be missed.  We are thinking of you and grateful 
for their time in our lives.
Sincerely,
Brede and Shelley McCormick Westby
Petaluma, Calfornia

Posted 9/29/2009

                                                                                                                                            

Please accept my condolences for the passing of Robert.  He was such a nice preson and very quiet spoken.  May God bless all of you and give you peace at this time.
Phyllis Lattin

Posted 9/29/2009

                                                                                                                                            

Dear Family,
I’m so sorry for your loss. Frannie was one of my Mom’s (Helen
Sondeen) dearest friends. They used to go to Swim Class and then the
group used to go out to breakfast afterwards. After my Mom died in
1994, my Dad (Frank Sondeen) started to attend the Swim Team’s
Breakfast, as we came to call them. When my siblings and I came to
visit my Dad, we used to attend the breakfasts, too, and got to know
the wry, witty, and elegant Bob. My Dad was the ‘Muffin Man’ and Bob
was usually the ‘Pancake Man.’ I’ve enjoyed exchanging Christmas
cards/ letters with Bob, too. I am so glad that my sister,
brother-in-law, and I were able to get together with the Swim Team and
Bob for breakfast this past July. I know he’s been slowing down of
late, but, by golly, he was still going to swim class. What a great
guy! God Bless You, I know you all brought him a lot of joy.
Sincerely,
Jill Sondeen
New Braunfels, Texas

Posted 10/2/2009

                                                                                                                                            

Hugs & prayers to you all.

With much Love,

Aunt Lynn Eickhoff

Posted 10/2/2009

                                                                                                                                            

To the Family of Bob VanLeeuwen --  Our thoughts and prayers have been with you since the day of Bob's passing.  While we did not know his family, Bob and Fran we have known since I joined Gerber Products Company in 196l.  In 2004 we moved to Mary Lane and have so enjoyed being close to Bob, and sharing many good times and dinners together.  He was a wonderful, kind, thoughtful gentleman.  Both Max and I had shared conversations with him right before his death; he was upbeat but he also was ready to say goodbye to this world and be united with his precious Fran.  We thank God he had a gentle departure.
 
On a note of humor -- whenever I hear "VanLeeuwen" I think of Mr. Dan Gerber, Sr., who never, ever could correctly pronounce Bob's last name, as he introduced him as the inspector of election, at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders.  No matter how he tried, it never worked, and always brought a bit of laughter!  Yvonne Lee
 
Yvonne A. Lee

Posted 10/4/2009

                                                                                                                                            

My sympathies to your family for your loss.  Bob and Fran were among the closest friends of my parents, Betty and Martin DeBats. They had such good times together! After Fran died, Bob continued to support my parents as they declined, and visited or called them almost every day. Bob and my Dad often attended church together after my mother was too ill to attend. I will miss his laugh, his humor, and his great hugs. Jan DeBats Young Minneapolis, MN.

Posted 10/5/2009