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William van Straaten Obituary

William "Bill" van Straaten, 76, died at his Denver home on December 23, 2013. He was born April 29, 1937 in Chicago, IL. to Herbert and Virginia van Straaten. Bill founded Chicago's van Straaten Gallery in 1969, a contemporary art gallery with an international reputation. He served as president of the Chicago Art Dealers Association and later established Riverhouse Editions, a fine print publisher, in Steamboat Springs with his wife and partner Jan. Bill was passionate about teaching young people about printmaking, particularly etching, the Riverhouse specialty. As a result, he and Jan requested each Riverhouse artist to sign a "college proof" to be donated to a college or university for the purpose of teaching. The van Straatens made a large gift of more than 90 such prints to the Mary and Leigh Block Museum at Northwestern University and collaborated with the University of Denver School of Art and Art History in the same pursuit for several years. In 2008, Bill moved to Denver and acquired the Sandy Carson Gallery on Santa Fe Drive, which operated as the van Straaten Gallery for five years before closing in 2012.Bill is survived by Jan, their daughter Hallie, three children from an earlier marriage: Tracy, Justine and Derek (Abigail); Ginger Kenyon, and Bill's brother Thomas (Nadine) of Aspen. Private services will be held in Chicago on Monday, December 30. Memorial donations may be made to www.woundedwarriorsproject.org or www.americanrivers.org.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Denver Post on Dec. 29, 2013.

Memories and Condolences
for William van Straaten

Not sure what to say?





Wayne Mikosz

September 9, 2014

Bill was an enormous influence on me when still a design student in the '60's. He is singularly responsible for starting me on the art collecting track, a passion I still engage in today. I'm so sorry I didn't keep track of Bill and Jan in the last year or so and will always regret my inaction.My best to his family.
Wayne Mikosz
Placitas, NM

Alan E. Gensemer

January 17, 2014

I don't know what caused me to google Bill a couple of days ago after all these years. Bill and I were fraternity brothers at UNM and roomed together in the dorm one semester (spring 1957) and then again the entire '57-'58 school year in a duplex off-campus. Now I'm kicking myself for not having made any contact over the years. Bill was a true character...and a true friend I'll never forget. My heartfelt condolences to the family. I know he will be missed.

Karen Asin

December 30, 2013

With sincere condolences. Karen and David.

December 30, 2013

An old friend has gone....danny

Rebecca Donelson

December 30, 2013

Bob and I will miss Bill's joy of life and irascible wit. He was a generous
friend for over forty years and we enjoyed some wonderful memories with him and Jan. We will hold these memories dear as we remember Bill and his life in the arts. He made a difference in his world of art and crating art. Am saddened I have lost a real friend to laugh with and remember with. His laugh is with me forever.

Annette Hughes

December 30, 2013

I did not know him, but it is obvious that he was a great person with tremendous heart, joie de vie and talent, just knowing his daughter Tracy. Rest in peace, and my sympathies for all of you who will surely miss him.

December 29, 2013

Jan, You and Bill fought so hard the last couple of years. It is never easy. I truly enjoyed Bill's good natured ribbing and his compliments. I looked forward to my visits with both of you. Please come see me when you are back in Denver. Allow me to assist you in any way you need. It's weird but all last week I had a strong sense of getting in contact with you. I thought alot about the two of you and I still am.
I really liked him! Susan Benlamin

Whitney Oppenheimer

December 28, 2013

My love and thoughts are with the van Straaten family. Bill had an enormous personality. Whenever Justine or Derek started with "So, my Dad....." you knew to get ready for a good story. He was colorful and never dull. My favorite memory of Bill is when he was cheering for Hallie when she first started walking in Colorado. Pure joy. Loud, exciting, and full of life.

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in William van Straaten's name

Memorial Events
for William van Straaten

Dec

30

Celebration of Life

1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Club Lago (331 W. Superior) restaurant

Chicago, IL

Funeral services provided by:

Horan & McConaty Funeral Service & Cremation - South Denver

1091 South Colorado Boulevard, Denver, CO 80246

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