Vander Laan, Harold John 1927-2023

VANDERLAAN, VANDERMATEN, VANBINSBERGEN

Posted By: Marjorie Brunsting-Volunteer (email)
Date: 3/11/2023 at 09:29:58

Mr. Harold Vander Laan, age 95, of Orange City, passed away on Monday, February 27, 2023, at the Happy Siesta Care Center in Remsen.

A visitation with the family present will be held on Sunday, March 5, from 3:00pm to 5:00pm, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City. A prayer service will take place on Monday, March 6, at 10:00am, at the funeral home, followed by interment at the West Lawn Cemetery in Orange City. There will be a memorial service on Monday, at 11:00am, at the First Reformed Church in Orange City with the Rev. Mark Haverdink officiating.

Harold John, the son of John and Stella (Vander Maten) Vander Laan, was born on December 15, 1927, on a farm near Maurice, where his family lived until Harold was in fifth grade, when his family moved to a farm north of Orange City. He attended the Maurice and Orange City public schools and Northwestern Junior College in Orange City before earning his bachelor’s degree from Westmar College in Le Mars and his Master’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado Greeley.

He enlisted in the United States Navy in April of 1946, and was stationed in California at the end of World War II. He was honorably discharged in December of 1946, as a Seaman second class and reenlisted as part of the Navy Reserves until December of 1954.

On August 15, 1951, he was united in marriage to Muriel Van Binsbergen in Montevideo, Minnesota. They made their home in Ayrshire, Wall Lake, and George before settling in Orange City. Over the years he worked as a teacher, coach, and principal, and was the Director of Admissions and Registrar at Northwestern College. During his time at Northwestern, he had the opportunity to encourage many students to work hard, pursue their dreams of a college education, and follow their passions. Muriel passed away on March 20, 2018, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, after more than 66 years of marriage.

Mr. Vander Laan was a member of the First Reformed Church in Orange City, where he had been a deacon and elder, and taught both catechism and Sunday school classes. He was also a member of the Orange City Lions Club and the Pressman Kosters American Legion. Harold enjoyed fishing, woodworking, and carpentry projects. He built many pieces of furniture and did numerous remodeling and handyman jobs for his family as well as others in and around Orange City. He also constructed a replica of Northwestern’s Zwemer hall for the float that has been seen in Tulip Festival parades for almost 25 years.

Survivors include his daughter and her husband, Rebecca and Martin Koster, of Morrison, Illinois; a daughter-in-law, Lori Hibma, of Hartley; four grandchildren, Johanna (Ryan McCort) Vander Laan, Abby Vander Laan, Seth (April) Vander Laan, and Erik Vander Laan; several step-grandchildren; two sisters-in-law, Lena Vander Laan, of Orange City; and Fran (Wayne) Vermeer, of Sioux Center; and two brothers-in-law, Warren (Ruth) Van Binsbergen, of Montevideo; and Howard (Mary) Van Binsbergen, of Owatonna, Minnesota.

In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by three sons, Lyle Lee Vander Laan (in infancy), Philip Vander Laan, and David Vander Laan; four brothers, Herman Vander Laan, Louis “Luke” (Etta) Vander Laan, Marion “Bud” (Dorthena) Vander Laan, and Clarence Vander Laan; and a sister, Lorena (Marion) Ten Napel.

Memorials will be given to Northwestern College and Midwest Honor Flight.

Source: Oolman Funeral Home online obituary.