James K. Van Fleet

VAN FLEET, JAMES K., age 84, died at home in Orlando, Florida on June 8, 2003. Mr. Van Fleet was a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army. He fought with the 44th Division in Europe during World War II. He left the service in December, 1945 to gain a Doctorate of Chiropractic Degree and practiced in Webster City, Iowa. He was recalled to active duty by the Army to fight in the Korean War. During his military career, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantry Badge with a star that signified infantry combat in Europe and Korea, and the Presidential Unit Citation. Colonel Van Fleet was born and raised in Sigourney, Iowa. He married Belva L. Fowler in 1941 and lived in Iowa and Missouri until moving to Florida in 1973. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Belva, who passed away in November 1997 in Orlando and a grandson, Joel Van Spain, who passed away in August, 1992. He is survived by his wife, Marion S. Van Fleet, three children: Robert James Van Fleet, Teresa Lynne Spain and Lawrence Lee Van Fleet, all of Orlando; seven grandchildren, five great grandchildren, and a sister, Marjorie Seymour, of Oskaloosa, Iowa. After his retirement from the Army, Colonel Van Fleet became a well-known author and had numerous nonfiction books published by Prentice-Hall and Simon & Schuster along with audio albums published by Nightingale-Conant. In 1993 he was awarded the Michael Shaara Writer's Award by the Space Coast Writers' Guild for powerful publications on health, business, and applied psychology. Funeral services will be held at the Florida Memorial Funeral Home in Rockledge, Florida on Sunday, June 15 at 2PM. Interment will be at Florida Memorial Gardens.