Gerald Edwin VanderVelde

VANDERVELDE — Gerald Edwin VanderVelde, aged 85, of Sebring, Florida, passed away Thursday, March 20, 2003, in Sebring. He was born May 6, 1917, in Portland, Michigan, to Cornelius and Jennie Delfstra VanderVelde, and had been a resident of Sebring since 1982, coming from Caledonia, Michigan. He was Head of Security for the Aerospace Industry and retired in 1977 from Lear Seigler (Smith Industries), Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Army, a member of the Homeowners of The Country Club of Sebring and attended First United Methodist Church in Sebring. Mr. VanderVelde is survived by his wife, Vera M. VanderVelde of Sebring; daughter, Kathryn Y. Freeland of Caledonia, MI and Sebring, FL; son, Neil (Linda) VanderVelde of Caledonia, MI; step-sons, James L. Houseknecht, Jr. of Watsontown, PA and Aaron Houseknecht of Seattle, WA; step-daughter, Billie Ann Marlin of Cochranville, PA; brother, Mike (Betty) VanderVelde of Grand Rapids, MI and Zephyrhills, FL; grandchildren, Gerry, Amanda, Chad (Shelly), Marc (Joell), and Jodi; great-grandchildren, Andrea and Lexie; step-grandchildren, Angela, Matthew, Alison, Christine and Dakota; step-great-grandchildren, Felicity, Sadie and Hailey; and many nieces and nephews. Mr. VanderVelde was preceded in death by his first wife, Harriet A. VanderVelde; son-in-law, James R. Freeland; and step-grandson, Michael Houseknecht. Cremation arrangements entrusted to Stephenson-Nelson Funeral Home, Sebring, FL. Private burial will be held at a later date in Caledonia, MI.