Wilbur E. “Van” Vanderzee, 86, of Huntington, IN, died Sunday, Oct.14, 2018, at 2:22 p.m. at Covington Manor, in Fort Wayne, IN.
Mr. Vanderzee graduated in 1951 from Concordia Lutheran High School. He served in the United States Air Force from 1951 to 1955 during the Korean War. He was a telephone installer for Indiana Bell /AT & T and retired in 1991. He was a member of St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church, in Huntington, and Telephone Pioneers, American Legion 85, and the Remote Control Radio Club.
Mr. Vanderzee was instrumental as the coordinator of communications for Sen. Dan Quayle and Vice President Bush coming to Huntington and announcing Sen. Quayle’s nomination to the vice presidency for the Bush-Quayle presidential ticket.
He was born Oct. 2, 1932, in Indianapolis to Okke and Josephine Bosma Vanderzee. He married Thelma Virginia “Ginger” Hardy on May 6, 1967, and she survives in Fort Wayne.
Additional survivors include a son, Jeffrey Vanderzee, of Harrisburg, PA; a stepson, Don (Terry) Cornish, of Camp Hill, PA; three daughters, Vicki Kunkel, of Camp Hill, PA; Leigh (Benjamin) Goas, of Etters, PA; and Lisa (Ken) Starsinic, of Harrisburg, PA; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by a stepdaughter, Virginia Lee Holmes.
Calling is Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church, 648 N. LaFontaine St., Huntington. A funeral service will follow immediately after at 11:30 a.m. with Rev. Timothy Lorenz officiating. Military rites will be conducted by American Legion Post 2689 following the funeral service. A private burial will be at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Annville, PA, at a later date.
Memorials are to St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church or American Legion 85 in care of McElhaney-Hart Funeral Home, 715 N. Jefferson St., Huntington, IN 46750.
Online condolences may be made at www.mcelhaneyhartfuneralhome.com