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Cornelius Vanderstar Obituary

February 19, 1915 - November 22, 2014 "Van" Vanderstar passed away peacefully at the age of 99 at his home in Newport Beach. Van was born in Rotterdam, Holland in 1915 and moved with his family to Batavia, Dutch East Indies in 1920. He attended school there until the age of 17 when he left on a 90 foot sailing ship that was cruising the Pacific. He became captain of the ship at age 18 and continued sailing for two more years before returning to Java where he worked at various jobs. Shortly after the Japanese invaded in early 1942, he surreptitiously repaired and outfitted an old 25 foot sailboat and one dark night sailed out of Batavia (Now Jakarta, Indonesia) Harbor with two non-sailing companions. They sailed 2,500 miles across the Indian Ocean to Rodriquez Island off the east coast of Africa which was held at the time by the British. He later wound up in Darwin, Australia where he was an officer in the Dutch Navy running PT boats on espionage missions into Japanese held islands. After World War II he immigrated to the United States, became a US citizen, and married Marguerite Hill in 1954. Van worked in sales for Alcan and Kaiser Aluminum and in 1957 started his own aluminum building products business in Los Angeles. In 1962 he took the name International Aluminum Corporation for his fast growing operations in both the US and Europe. IAC became a public company in 1968. In 1972 it was listed on the American Stock Exchange and in 1978 went on the New York Stock Exchange where it remained until it was sold in 2007. Van is survived by his step-daughter and step-son in Australia and had no children of his own that he knew of. His wife Marguerite passed away in 2011 at the age of 102. At his request there will be no services.

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

Published by Los Angeles Times from Dec. 2 to Dec. 7, 2014.

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dick r. de jong

January 12, 2023

I just (January 2023) read the unbelievable story of this Dutchman; moreover I also found his name and proud remembrance in one of the books of the Royal Kingdom of the Netherlands in WW2.
This man is the ultimate example of how we, in these unsecure times, should behave and coop with eachother. Dirk R. de Jong/Berkel en Rodenrijs/ the Netherlands.

Mike kennedy

September 18, 2019

As young crew in the summer of 1976, I sailed with Van aboard his beautiful sailing yacht the Astral from California- Hawaii- Canada and return. He was a wonderfully warm man, who would tell stories once in a while when I was on watch late at night. Stories that were truly riveting. He was a true 'old world' real-world sailor, not a motor yacht trophy Hunter. I was blessed for that summer and learned so much sailing with him, and especially his super old world hard as nails, New Zealand Captain Dick Mcilvride.

L. Martin Hahn

September 21, 2018

My memory of Mr. Vanderstar is when he donated Astral to the U.S. Naval Academy. As a Midshipman, I was among the first Naval Academy crew and had the privilege to sail Astral trans-Atlantic in 1979. It was a truly awesome experience that wouldn't have been possible without Mr. Vanderstar's extraordinary generosity.

Charlotte Norman/Griego

April 4, 2018

I worked at International Aluminum in the late seventies thru early 80s. Mr. Vanderstar made a point of stopping in at least once a week. He was always very friendly, always made conversation with all employees. He seemed to love life at that time. I'm glad he lived a long life I'm glad to have known him.

Gloria Goco

December 6, 2014

My Dear Mr. Vanderstar.
My thoughts goes back now with you greeting me "kumusta ka". Every morning I see you in the office. International Aluminum Corporation. And I cannot forget that day when you said "if I can give back what I have now I will give back in return to my youth" and I said I will give you 10 years of mine with 10M. and you walked away laughing so hard.
May you rest in peace, your legacy will live on to all IAC's employees. I am lucky and honored to have known and worked for a great man.
My deepest sympathy to the Vanderstar family.

December 5, 2014

My deepest sympathy to the family. May the God of loyal love comfort the family during your time of sorrow. Psalms 119:76

Lidija Stefanovski

December 5, 2014

Words can not describe the sorrow and sadness of the lost of my dearest friend Cornelius. And words can not describe the greatness of our friendship and his larger than life personalitie that touch myself and my family. Cornelius We will carry you in our thoughts forever for our great time spent together and great loughs and conversations we had for many years. Rest in peace my dearest friend I will treasure our memories deep ingraved in my heart.
Your friend forever Lidija and Family Stefanovski

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