DAVID J. VAN MEER

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Western Washington University

DAVID VAN MEER Obituary

David Van Meer, age 65, passed away on April 15, 2016. He was born to Marvin and Christine Van Meer, and grew up in Diablo/Concrete. Dave served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam war. He graduated from Western Washington University, and continued studying throughout his life.

Dave's career choices and hobbies reflected his many interests. He was a book conservator, curator, writer, poet, voice actor, comic and music collector, game aficionado, and storyteller. Dave wrote original scripts and was many voices for KSVR Radio Theater Project. He retired from the Mount Vernon City Library, where he was "Santa" for the past 18 years. The joy of his life was to bring hope and smiles to children of all ages.

Dave is survived by his partner Kim Streitz, brother Bob Van Meer, and many family and friends.

Come join Dave's Celebration of Life on Saturday, August 6, 2016 from 1:30 4:30 pm at Northridge Clubhouse, 2500 Club Court, Mount Vernon.

Be kind to each other; help those in need; be a good steward of the earth.

Donations to KSVR Radio Theater Project www.ksvr.org ; Lighthouse Mission Ministries, Bellingham www.thelighthousemission.org ; Skagit Valley Hospital Foundation; St. Joseph's Indian School www.stjo.org .

A special thank you to the doctors and staff at Skagit Valley Hospital, the Palliative Care Team, and Chaplin Gretchen Cohen for their compassionate care and support.

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

Published by Skagit Valley Herald from Jul. 7 to Jul. 10, 2016.

Memories and Condolences
for DAVID VAN MEER

5 Entries

Chris Plummer

November 6, 2016

I was part of the gang that would crash Dave's apartment on Friday or Saturday game nights from 1988 to 1990 ish. Some of the best times I've had just hanging out with friends then or since were at Dave's place. I moved away and did not keep in touch. More's the pity for me - Dave's hospitality, creativity, and heart have influenced me more than I realized at the time. I wish now that I'd thought to look him up sooner. I would have loved to check back in and chat; his stories were amazing. If you never had the chance to watch Dave run a game of Space: 1889 or Champions, or referee a game of Kremlin, you missed something magical. Dave was an insatiable gatherer of facts and information, and he had an amazing ability to spin all that knowledge into stories and characters that were amazing good fun. As a 20 year old geek well before being a geek was a good thing, Dave was a sort of signpost of what my life could be. Dave's life, from my perspective, was confirmation that there can be happiness in imagination, that trying to be what you think others want you to be is a waste of time. Was his life perfect? Pretty sure it was not. But Dave was the first person to introduce me to the phrase "Follow Your Bliss". He did, he showed me how, and I'm a better man for it. You can know someone your entire life and not be affected so profoundly as David affected me in the space of a few years. Thank you Dave - you are missed.

Linda Allen

July 12, 2016

Being a coworker with David at the MV Library my favorite memories are when he dressed as Santa and read The
Night Before Christmas to a packed house of children and parents. He started letting his beard grow months before the event and was wonderfully expressive.

July 11, 2016

My cousin Dave always will hold a special place in my heart. My favorite memory of him is as a freckled- faced little boy with a "Leave it to Beaver" haircut, who loved peanut and jelly sandwiches with Shasta-Up. Then, as throughout his time life, he had a gracious spirit an open mind and a showed a great kindness toward all God's creatures, great and small. What a gift to have had him in our lives. Bon Voyage, Dave. Betsy

Joanna Bruno

July 10, 2016

Dave was an amazing person...I was privileged to have had parts in some of his plays. He had such fun writing them, and they were a joy to do. He was funny, smart, kind, sensitive, a very dear man, and he will be deeply missed. I am so glad I knew him....

Gayle VanderVeen

July 8, 2016

So sorry to hear about Dave's passing.I went to Skagit Valley College with Dave after he got out of the Air Force and lived in the same apartment building.He was a good friend to Glenn Anderson and mourned his death in 1976.I enjoyed Dave's humor.He loved his albums of old radio shows.RIP Dave and I know you have them laughing up there.

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