- Van Vreede, Harvey T.Harvey Theodore Van Vreede, age 88, formerly of Little Chute, passed aw ay peacefully early Thursday morning, Sept-ember 29, 2005 due to heart com plications at Cherry Meadows, Appleton. He was born in the Town of Kaukau na February 5, 1917 to Albert and Ann (Vander Heiden) Van Vreede. He gradu ated from Freedom High School in 1935 as salutatorian. Harvey married Lorr aine (Verbeten) on April 13, 1943, who survives. He was a member of St. Jo hn Catholic Church in Little Chute. As a young man growing up in the Depre ssion era, Harvey worked a variety of "odd jobs" from farming to a canni ng factory. He was working in a paper mill when he answered his nation's c all to serve in January 1942, shortly after Pearl Harbor was bombed. He im mediately started basic training and was stationed in Rolla, Missouri, dur ing the early part of his military service. He went from a private, to a t echnician third grade, to a master sergeant, then to the division headquar ters. Harvey was stationed overseas for over a year where he landed in Sco tland and then went to France where he was a personnel officer in the 103 rd Infantry, 75th Division in charge of payrolls and service records in h is outfit. Many times he was forced to find each soldier during action a nd pay him his allotment. He also helped rebuild bridges that had been des troyed by bombing so that our troops could continue to pursue the enemy. W hen the war ended he returned to his job as paper tester at Appleton Pape rs Locks Mill in Combined Locks. While working at the mill, he took a corr espondence course through DeVry Institute in electronics. He began servici ng televisions and radios out of his Kimberly home. After selling 30 set s, he took a leave of absence from his mill job and never looked back. Th is was the beginning of Van Vreede TV & Appliance. He was the first in t he area to sell color television aligning with RCA. Always looking for opp ortunity, another venture that he attempted in the 1950s was when he dabbl ed for a short time in the toy business when he started the Toy Corn er in Kimberly. Harvey was an energetic entrepreneur and pioneered in t he sales and servicing of color televisions, automatic washers and drye rs in the Fox Valley. Harvey remained active in the business until approxi mately 1996 when he retired. Harvey loved spending time up at his cotta ge on Boundary Lake playing volleyball, tinkering with his tractors, and s ocializing with relatives who also have cottages nearby. He and Lorraine t raveled extensively to Europe, Puerto Rico and other destinations final ly settling in a condominium in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, for the winter s. Harvey was a long-time member of the Fox Valley Golf Course as we ll as the Little Chute Businessmen's Association and the Jacob Coppus Amer ican Legion Post #258. He was an avid card player and could be found at Tu cker's Restaurant in Little Chute on most mornings in the 90s receiving co ntributions from his playing partners while occasionally doling out card t ips.Harvey is survived by his wife, Lorraine, and three children, Roger (Lyn n) Van Vreede, Appleton; Sandra Hammer, Greenville (special friend Jim McM onagle); and Richard (Rhonda) Van Vreede, Appleton; grandchildren, Mark, R yan and Scott Hammer, Adam and Dustin Van Vreede; brother, Carl Van Vreed e; sisters-in-law, Elaine, Catherine, and Helen Van Vreede; brothers and s isters-in-law, Blanche Pynenberg, Florence (Jack) DeGoey, Ralph (Evie) Ver beten, Robert (Doris) Verbeten, Marion (Clyde) Helein, Lois (Donald) Gonne ring, and Carol (Ronald) DeBruin.He is further survived by many special nieces, nephews, and friends.In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by brothers, Aloyiu s, Victor, Floyd, and infant brother Norbert; sister, Georgiana (Bill) Wey ers; brothers and sisters-in-law, Margaret Van Vreede, Bill Weyers, Earl a nd Betty Verbeten, Gerald Pynenberg, and Marlin Verbeten.Funeral service for Harvey will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, October 3, 200 5, at 6 p.m., at St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church, Little Chute, with t he Rev. Msgr. James Vanden Hogen officiating. Military rites will be condu cted by the Jacob Coppus American Legion Post #258 Little Chute immediate ly following the Mass. Family and friends may call at the church on Mond ay from 2 p.m. until the time of Mass.In lieu of flowers a memorial is being established in Harvey's name.The family would like to thank everyone who has assisted in caring for Har vey. "Harv" was a very special person who has impacted many people's liv es and will always be fondly remembered.
O'CONNELL FUNERAL SERVICES
2020 E. Main Street
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1917 - 2005 (88 years)
Alt. Birth
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