Photo courtesy of Faith Funeral Home - Morrisville
May 30, 1933 - Oct 18, 2019 (Age 86)
BIll the first individual I'd met outside my circle of friends after moving to Vermont in 2006 - then as another Cyclist. Years would come and Bill was learned to be very sturdy in what Culture gets kept within Cycling. He and I made a day, discussing bikes, while both at TSH. Am sad having to acknowledge his passing from so far away, there's joy to have known him by Name and, still feel that I do. Godspeed Bill.
James Jordan
October 30, 2019 | Naples, FL
I will be remembering you riding the roads here in Morrisville and now thinking of you soaring through the blue bird skies above!! RIP!! Say hi to Gary!!
MaryEllen Sudol
October 28, 2019 | Morrisville, VT | Friend
Mustache mystery.
I used to ride my bike most weekends and other days on Randolph Rd from Morrisville to the Stowe line enjoying the views, observing lawns, animals and more. For several years, I used to ride by, in the other direction, a gentleman with a noticeable whitemustache below his helmet, who would occassionally acknowledge my passing.
I always wondered who the rider was but never had the opportunity to learn.
I too experienced a stroke, double, in...
Pauline Liese
October 26, 2019 | Acquaintance
Bill was a great friend as we exercised and talked at the Stowe Swimming Hole, perhaps in equal parts. He was a true biker who rode the roads of Vermont at a clip of anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 miles a year. His favorite temperature to ride in was in the 80's and the ride had to include some real good hill climbing. As spring was warming up each year, we accused Bill of being so excited about another season of biking, we thought he was levitating at least 6 inches off the ground in the gym,...
Jack and Sharon Anderson
October 24, 2019 | Hyde Park, VT | Friend
William “Bag” van de Kamp
William van de Kamp, a long time resident of Morrisville, VT died on Friday, October 18, 2019 at the age of 86 after suffering a major stroke. Bill was born in Paris, France in 1933. He was the eldest of five siblings--three brothers and two sisters of John and Josephine van de Kamp. His father, John, was a senior executive with Philips NV, a Dutch corporation and one of the largest electronics firms in the world.
The van de Kamp family was living in Vienna during the Anschluss, when Hitler annexed Austria. They fled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where John van de Kamp was given total control of the Western Hemisphere companies of Philips to keep that part of the world out of the reach of the Nazis. In 1941 the family moved to the United States.
Bill was raised in Larchmont, NY and graduated from Iona Prep in New Rochelle and attended Notre Dame University. He started his career as an equestrian and became an expert in teaching dressage, a highly skilled form of riding performed in exhibition and competition. His teacher was the former stunt man for Tom Mix, Hollywood’s first Western star. Bill’s most celebrated student was Linda Eastman who became the first wife of Paul McCartney.
While living in New York he was employed for a brief time as a model. He was never quite comfortable with the fast paced lifestyle and eventually moved to the Stowe area in the late 60’s. Over the years there, he became an accomplished craftsman working at Boots and Boards as an equipment fitter. He then went on to building and repairing bikes, eventually starting his own shop, Kingfisher Cycles, and in the mid-90’s joining The Vermont Furniture Works.
His overwhelming love was cycling. When the weather was suitable, you could count on seeing him doing his 25 miles of biking per day in the hills surrounding Morrisville, even while in his 80’s. His greatest achievement was competing in the Mt. Washington Hill Climb - a 6,288.2 ft climb, the highest peak in the Northeastern United States.
There will be no formal service but a celebration of life get-together, which will be held in the summer of 2020 and will be announced in the Stowe Reporter and the News and Citizen.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Dennis and sister, Nell Rutten.
Survivors include his brother Ted and wife Pat of East Norwalk, CT, his sister Josie Kaczmar and husband Mike of Mount Pleasant, SC, sister-in-law Mary van de Kamp of Arlington, TX, brother-in-law Lam Rutten of Eindhoven, The Netherlands, and many family and friends.
Faith Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.Online condolences may be made and a full obituary viewed by visiting faithfh.net.
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