John Barcalow VanDERBEEK IV John was born in Aberdeen, Washington to John and Dorothy Carey VanDerbeek on February 6, 1952 and died unexpectedly at his home on Mercer Island, Washington on June 1, 2009. He graduated from Aberdeen High School in 1970 and obtained a B.A. in Finance and Economics in May of 1974 from the University of Puget Sound. He subsequently obtained his Juris Doctor of Law from Seattle University. He married Diane on July 7, 1985 and they have no children but love their nine nieces and nephews and seven great nieces and nephews. John had been self employed in commercial real estate, as a private lobbyist, and as a self employed investor. He owned several small businesses and had invested in residential and commercial real estate and stock and managed his own properties for over 30 years. He had volunteered in numerous environmental causes including the Raincoast Organization in British Columbia, was a contributing author in Environmental Law Quarterly, worked on the King County Farmlands Preservation bill, and was a strong supporter of the Northwest Maritime Center in Port Townsend, Washington. The weekend before his untimely death he attended a Dedication Ceremony there and was so excited to see the project nearing completion so that the programs to get children on the water could commence. He was a member of the Seattle Yacht Club and chaired numerous committees for that organization. In 2008, John was asked to be Commodore of the Victoria Classic Boat Festival in British Columbia, Canada. He is the immediate Past President of the Holland Society of New York. During his Presidency of the Holland Society of New York, he implemented a large membership drive, traveled throughout the country to attend branch meetings, and re-designed the website, while presiding at the completion of the first major capital campaign for the organization to accomplish the move of the library and headquarters into new space for the first time in forty years. As well, Mr. VanDerbeek had been very involved in Hudson 400, the 2009 Celebration, and was recently invited to travel to the Netherlands to represent HSNY at "First Strike Ceremony" of the Hudson/Half Moon 400th Commemorative Coins and for an audience with Her Majesty Queen Beatrix. His avocations included classic power yachting, music and the arts, baseball coaching, and fund raising for environmental protection issues and historical organizations, for which he has received a gold medal recognizing same. He is survived by his Wife, Diane, sisters Rebecca Mars (Stan) of Seabeck, Washington; Martha "Muffy" Unger (Bob) of Dallas, Texas; and Melanie Bickar (Denny) of Aberdeen; Diane's father, Robert Lander of Mercer Island; Diane's sisters, Becky (Alex) of Bainbridge Island and Lys of Savannah, Georgia; his mother's sister and her husband, Bonnie and Stan Antich also of Aberdeen, numerous cousins, nieces and nephews together with many loyal and beloved friends and associates. In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Northwest Maritime Center, 380 Jefferson Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368; The Holland Society of New York, 20 W. 44th Street 5th Floor, New York, New York 10036; or the VanDerbeek Memorial Garden at the First United Methodist Church 100 E. 2nd Street, Aberdeen, Washington 98520. Viewing from 2:00 - 3:30 on Friday, June 5 at Whiteside Funeral Home followed by burial at Fern Hill Cemetery in Aberdeen at 4:30. Celebration of life Memorial Service on Saturday, June 6, at 1:00 at First United Methodist Church, 100 E. 2nd Street, Aberdeen.