Benjamin Van Andel

A man who was passionate not only about teaching but also about reaching the hearts of children, Benjamin Van Andel demonstrated through the life he lived that it is through loving and serving others that we are truly complete. He never worried about his measure according to the world’s standards, but made it his life’s mission to show what it means to be the hands and feet of the Lord he served. Filled with timeless wisdom gleaned through living a life of integrity and great character, Ben found the beauty in each new day and in so doing, spread his warmth and joy for living to all those within his reach. Although life will never be the same without Ben here, his friends and family rejoice in knowing that he is walking hand in hand with his Lord and Savior in his eternal home.

Nestled within the vibrant decade of the Roaring Twenties, the year 1925 boasted of the first presidential inauguration broadcast over the airwaves, the explosion of the airline industry for both passengers and freight, and the establishment of the Chrysler Corporation. This was an unforgettable year for the family of Bert and Fanny Van Andel as well since they were overjoyed with the birth of a healthy baby boy on April 25th. Born on the family farm two miles southeast of the small town of New Era, Michigan, Benjamin was the eighth of ten surviving children in his family.

When Ben was five years old, he entered the world of education as a student in a one-room schoolhouse called Eagles School. After finishing his eighth grade year there, he went on to complete his ninth and tenth grade years at a school in New Era. Ben’s formal education ended after his tenth grade year, however, since a lack of transportation prevented him from finishing his education as he needed to go to Shelby – a town about seven miles from home. Because his father also needed the extra help on the farm, Ben spent the next three years working alongside his father.

By the time Ben was 18, our nation had been entrenched in WWII for nearly 18 months. His father was able to get him a deferment, which enabled him to begin working in a factory in Muskegon that fall. Since that decision then made Ben ineligible for deferment status, he soon received his draft notice and was inducted into the service in May of 1944.

After receiving his basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama, Ben was shipped overseas as a replacement soldier in the ninth infantry division. After the cessation of hostilities in the European Theater of Operations, Ben was reassigned to the Army Ordinance Corps where he eventually earned the rank of sergeant major of the 310th battalion headquarters, thanks to a series of promotions.

With his patriotic duty fulfilled, Ben was discharged in June of 1946 and returned home. He immediately enrolled in the summer session at Muskegon Senior High School and in just one year and that summer session, he completed his high school requirements except for one science credit. Despite being one credit short of graduation, Ben applied for and was granted admission to Calvin College in 1947.

Having earned a degree in business administration in 1951, Ben obtained a position at Continental Motors with hopes of moving into a management role, but he soon discovered the program was not a good fit for him. After two years he left the program and decided to reassess the direction of his life while in Europe. Ben never regretted the six months he spent traveling aboard a cruise ship throughout Europe and the northern part of Africa.

Back in Michigan, Ben applied for a management position at Norge-Borg Warner. Again feeling a bit restless in his soul, he left after a year and began taking extension courses while doing a lot of reading and traveling in the northwest and southwest parts of the country. Ben cherished this time and viewed it as an enlightening and educational experience that forever shaped the course of his life.

With renewed focus, Ben took a position in sales while pursuing a career in education in the Grand Rapids area. When a position became available in a two-room feeder school in the Rockford school system, he jumped at the opportunity. Ben spent the following two years teaching fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades, all in one room. After leaving this country school, he took a junior high position at Comstock Park and then later at Godfrey-Lee. Ben eventually found himself in the Wyoming Park school system with the last 31 years of his career being spent in the field of special education before retiring in 1991. He worked with children who were learning disabled, had emotional struggles, and were physically impaired as well as children who were autistic, and those with attention deficit disorders to varying degrees. To Ben teaching wasn’t just about what needed to be taught, but about providing his students with every opportunity to succeed in accordance with their unique abilities. If he hadn’t needed the compensation in order to survive, he would have taught for the sheer joy of it – and it showed.

A truly introspective man, Ben penned these words some time ago: “And now I must lay down this pencil and rest awhile. And then, perhaps, I'll take a long, long walk- Maybe while I am walking down that asphalt path with the woods to the east of me, and the shimmering water to the west, I may even think of a poem written by Robert Frost: The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.”

Benjamin Van Andel was a gifted musician on the piano and the organ, a world traveler, and a nature and Lake Michigan enthusiast, but it was his compassionate spirit and tender heart for which he will be remembered most. A man who truly understood the impact one person can make upon the lives of others, Ben leaves us with much to aspire for.

Benjamin H. Van Andel of Holland died Monday, May 23, 2011 at his home. Ben’s family includes his sisters: Rica Houseman of Byron Center and Dorothy De Young of Kalamazoo; sisters-in-law, Ott Van Andel of Muskegon, Micky Van Andel of Spring Lake, June (Bruce) Klanderman of Grand Rapids, and several nieces, nephews and friends. Ben was preceded in death by brothers and sisters, LaBertha (Henry) Bruininks, Peter (Elizabeth) Van Andel, John Van Andel, Myna (John) Wingelaar, Renn (Phyllis) Van Andel, Grace Van Andel (infant), Bert Van Andel and Henry Van Andel; and brothers-in-law, Neil Houseman and Fred L. De Young. A funeral service will be 11:00 a.m., Friday, May 27, 2011 at Central Wesleyan Church Chapel (entrance D or G) 446 West 40th Street in Holland. Reverend David Bruininks will be officiating. Burial will be in Fort Custer National Cemetery. Visit with Ben’s family and friends from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m., Thursday, May 26, 2011 at Northwood Chapel – Dykstra Funeral Home 295 Douglas Avenue in Holland. Memorial contributions may be given to Calvin College or Hope College Education Departments. For more information please visit www.lifestorynet.com