Donald William VanDoorn

Donald William
Van Doorn
July 29, 1921-
March 8, 2015
Savannah, GA- Donald William Van Doorn, renowned inventor, beloved husband and father, died at 93, Sunday afternoon, March 8, 2015, at St. Joseph's Hospital in Savannah.  He resided most of his career in Columbus, and later, in Savannah. Born July 29, 1921, he was the son of the late Jan Cornelius Van Doorn and Theresa Kamen Van Doorn. He grew up in central Michigan, graduating from High School in Flint, MI. Don received his Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from The University of Michigan in 1943.
During World War II, Don served his country, first as a Marine, then as a Lt. (j.g.) Naval Officer stationed at Camp Perry, Virginia from 1944 to 1945. There he met his future wife, Constance, in 1945; they were married the next year in Dallas, TX. Don worked in Dallas as a design engineer for Lummus Cotton Gin Co. in early 1947. In 1949, they relocated with Lummus to Columbus, Georgia, starting their family shortly thereafter.
He was steadily promoted at Lummus: in 1955 to chief design engineer; in 1959, to Vice President in charge of Engineering/Chief Technical Officer, with a seat on the board of directors; in 1969. In 1961, he served on a senior in-house management committee. When Lummus relocated to Savannah in 1998, Don moved with them; his work was the constant driving force in his life.
Don's first equipment patent came in 1949; he would continue to work for Lummus until his passing, culminating in some 68 patents for device inventions. He received his latest patent in May of 2014 and was working on others at the time of his passing.
Don was a member of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE). In 1987, he earned the ASABE Mayfield Cotton Engineering Award. Don received the National Cotton Ginners' Association 1999/2000 Distinguished Service Award. His most recent honor came when he received the A. L. Vandergriff Pioneer Award from the Southern Cotton Ginners Association in Memphis, Tennessee on February 26, 2015. He was recognized as the world expert in cotton-ginning.
In addition to his beloved wife of almost 70 years, Constance Elizabeth Carraway Van Doorn, he is survived by their four children: Elizabeth Van Doorn Grounsell (Walter Scott), Thomas William Carraway Van Doorn, Sr. (Amy Horton), Dr. John Donald Van Doorn (Dr. Judy Rouse) and Alis Elizabeth Van Doorn. Don's grandchildren are David Baldwin Conard, III (Tiffany), Catherine Elizabeth Van Doorn and Thomas William Carraway Van Doorn, Jr., Dorothy Virginia Van Doorn and Georgia Emmeline Van Doorn.
A celebration of a life well lived service will be held at 3:00 p.m., Saturday, April 25, at the chapel of the First Presbyterian Church, located at 1100 First Avenue, Columbus, GA 31901.
In lieu of flowers, please make gifts in honor of Don Van Doorn to The Donald Van Doorn Fund; University of Michigan, College of Engineering; 1221 Beal Avenue, Suite G264; Ann Arbor, MI 48109, or on-line at http://victo.rs/1EqUZBL . If gifts are received in a sufficient amount, the family may choose to establish a permanent endowment to honor Donald Van Doorn. For a fuller obituary with more details, please go to: www.BonaventureFH.com , and click on "Obituary Finder."