Donald A. Vandenberg

Donald Vandenberg, age 98, died on Wed, Nov. 12. He was born August 28, 1927, in Sterling, IL to Bert and Josephine (Tillema) Vandenberg. He and his only sister, Beth, attended the Hiddleson one-room public school. He has happy memories of the farm where they lived without electricity and indoor plumbing, but with relatives and friends nearby who visited often. They attended Ebenezer Reformed Church in Morrison, IL.

Don tragically lost his father when he was nine. He has written about experiencing two great fears as a teenager: the fear of death and a fear connected to “something going on inside of me… that was pulling me down.” On Easter 1943 he first grasped the meaning of the Resurrection as victory for the believer over sin and death. He found relief and joy as he comprehended the Good News and surrendered his life to the Lord.

Don graduated from Morrison Community High School (1945), Hope College (1949), and Western Theological Seminary (1952). At Hope, Don discovered his distance running ability and his future wife, Helen VanFarowe. Don and Helen married in 1951 and had five children. The family enjoyed hiking and camping together. In later years, Don and Helen enjoyed daily walks and traveled to Gulf Shores for several weeks each winter. Helen died in 2007, and Dad was blessed with a second wonderful wife, Doris Pyle, whom he married in 2013. Don and Doris played lots of Scrabble and had a habit of attending two worship services each Sunday - the early service of Doris’ home church, First Reformed Zeeland, and then Lakeshore Vineyard Church, where Don and Helen were very active for years.  Doris died in 2016.

Don pastored four churches: Fellowship Reformed, Muskegon (1952-57); Riverside Community Church, Cleveland OH (1958-70); Faith Reformed, Muskegon (1970-75); and St Paul’s Union Church, Chicago (1976-89). 

Don loved God, His Word, and his family. He also loved music, nature, jogging, fresh fruit, and reading biographies. He sought to live a life of obedience and joyful trust in God and made a habit of turning his worries into prayers.

He is survived by his five children: Jane (Rick) VanMaaren of Gibbsville, WI; Mary (Dennis) Cupery of Fennville; Carol (Richard) Brook of Grand Haven/Pittsburgh; Daniel Vandenberg of Chicago; and Ruth Pratt of Holland; 14 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, June VanFarowe; and many nieces and nephews. 

A visitation for Don will be held on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 10 AM, followed by a service of death and resurrection at 11 AM at Lakeshore Vineyard Church, 710 Central Ave., Holland, MI. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to Resthaven Care Center or an organization of your choice.