Cornelius R. van der Laan - Genealogy - Ancestry - Descendancy

Cornelius R. van der Laan (I03976)

Name:
Cornelius R. van der Laan

Gender: Male

Birth: 17 December 1921 -- Illinois
Death: 9 April 1998 -- Lombard, DuPage, Illinois

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Personal Facts and Details

Notes

Note

Chicago Tribune ‎(IL)‎ - April 11, 1998
Deceased Name: CORNELIUS R. `NEAL' VAN DER LAAN
Cornelius R. "Neal" Van Der Laan, of Lombard, a concrete construction company owner who participated in relief efforts that helped salvage hundreds of homes damaged during the 1987 Salt Creek flood in the western suburbs, died Wednesday at Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove. He was 76.

The former owner of Southtown Concrete Construction Company, Mr. Van Der Laan took over the reins of the Evergreen Park-based business after his father's retirement in 1950.

According to his son-in-law, Rev. Duane Kelderman, Mr. Van Der Laan often was described by those who worked for him as "the world's best boss."

"Working with him was always an adventure," recalled Kelderman, who briefly was employed by the company. "For years, he'd be right in there with the rest of the guys, waking at the crack of dawn and driving to the site together. We'd be half dead, but he'd keep everyone awake with his constant banter."

A deeply religious man, Mr. Van Der Laan is credited with having provided jobs for many minority workers at a time when work was especially hard to come by, Kelderman said.

"He was an egalitarian in the truest sense," Kelderman said. "Not that he knew how to spell the word or even pronounce it, but that's just how Dad saw people. He didn't care what color you were. He really believed everyone is created equal."

Until its closing in 1978, the company did general concrete construction and built many churches, post offices and small office buildings throughout the Chicago area.

"When Jeannette and I got married at the tender age of 19, it was a particularly tight year for us," Kelderman said. "Dad gave us his Phillips 66 credit card and said, `Here, use it.' I remember being totally amazed at his generosity, and then feeling so grateful."

But Mr. Van Der Laan's generosity was no more apparent than the months he spent helping families rebuild homes partially destroyed after severe storms caused the banks of Salt Creek to overflow in 1987. More than 2,000 homeowners in DuPage County reported significant flood damage that year.

"Dad donated his expertise and resources to help these folks dig out," said his son-in-law.

In recounting one his fondest memories, Kelderman told how after a great Sunday dinner, he and his father-in-law would retreat to their favorite easy chairs for a short nap. Both men would fall asleep and invariably Mr. Van Der Laan would start snoring, rattling the china every time he exhaled.

"We'd always wake up about the same time," said his son-in-law. "The first words out of Dad's mouth, for the 28 years I've known this man, were always, `Mom, Duane wants some ice cream. And Mom would say, `Now why can't you just say that you want ice cream.' And he'd say, `Watch it, woman,' and we'd be off on another joy-filled adventure."

Survivors include his wife, Wilhelmina "Wink"; two sons, Rudy and William; two daughters, Nancy Wit and Jeannette Kelderman; 11 grandchildren; and three sisters.

Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Christ Church of Oak Brook, 31st Street and York Road, Oak Brook.
Source: Obituaries - GenealogyBank

	Events of close relatives
Birth	17 December 1921 Illinois
Death of a grand-parent	11 February 1922 (Age 1 month) Great-grandfather: Geuchien Hinderikus Bieze (I01361) (Age 80) - [Relationship Chart]
Death of a grand-parent	25 July 1924 (Age 2) Great-grandmother: Janke Buwalda (I01362) (Age 81) - [Relationship Chart]
Birth of a sibling
Death of a grand-parent	6 January 1927 (Age 5) Grandmother: Stijn Ossentjuk (I03968) (Age 60) - [Relationship Chart]
Death of a grand-parent	1944 (Age 23) Grandfather: Henderikus Harm Bieze (I02191) (Age 78) - [Relationship Chart]
Death of a mother's sibling	1957 (Age 36) Uncle: George Bieze (I03970) (Age 63) - [Relationship Chart]
Death of mother	1970 (Age 49) Mother: Jeanette Bieze (I03969) (Age 80) - [Relationship Chart]
Death of father	16 October 1982 (Age 60) Father: Rudolph van der Laan (I03971) (Age 90) - [Relationship Chart]
Birth of a child #1
Birth of a child #2
Birth of a child #3
Birth of a child #4
Death	9 April 1998 (Age 76) Lombard, DuPage, Illinois Source: USA Social Security Death Index Source Text: Name: Cornelius R. /van der Laan/ SSN: 339-18-9182 Last Residence: 60148 Lombard, Du Page, Illinois, United States of America Born: 17 Dec 1921 Died: 9 Apr 1998 State ‎‎(Year)‎‎ SSN issued: Illinois ‎‎(Before 1951 )‎‎
Social Security Number	339-18-9182 Source: USA Social Security Death Index Source Text: Name: Cornelius R. /van der Laan/ SSN: 339-18-9182 Last Residence: 60148 Lombard, Du Page, Illinois, United States of America Born: 17 Dec 1921 Died: 9 Apr 1998 State ‎‎(Year)‎‎ SSN issued: Illinois ‎‎(Before 1951 )‎‎
Last Change	9 December 2007 - 10:35:48 Last changed by: Admin