Robert Vandervaart

VANDERVAART, Robert (Bob) Passed away at the Woodstock General Hospital, 6 September 2006. Born in Dokkum, the Netherlands on 14 December 1939, Bob was predeceased by his parents, Stuart and Jane Vandervaart. He is survived by his brother Brian (Reny) Vandervaart of Dartmouth N.S. and sister Jellie (Peter) Kingma of Innerkip, On. He was a beloved uncle to Wendy Vandervaart and her son Joshua Denton of Dartmouth, NS; to Stuart (Mary-Lou) Vandervaart of Dryden, On and their children Cole, Clarke, Cooper; to Jeffrey (Sarah) Kingma of Guelph, On; to Janette Kingma of Innerkip, On. After emigrating from the Netherlands in 1953, Bob attended the Woodstock Collegiate Institute where he developed a keen interest in foreign languages and continued his studies at the University of Western Ontario and the University of British Columbia. He was a linguist, and able to converse in seven languages. Upon graduating in 1965 he was hired by the J.L. Forster Secondary School in Windsor On as a language teacher, specializing in German and French. He retired from the Windsor Board of Education in 1998 after six years as their French Language Coordinator. Bob was a dedicated and respected teacher, providing a positive influence in the lives of his many students. He participated in a year's language teacher exchange teaching in Chicoutimi, Quebec and spent a year studying languages in Ghent Belgium. Bob was a dedicated professional with many talents and interests and a wide group of acquaintances. He played various musical instruments and a member of a Celtic Band in Windsor. He enjoyed skiing in the winter, and sailing in the summer and was a Founding Member and Past Commodore (twice) of the Thames River Yacht Club; Bob coached vaious school teams in track and field and swimming, and organized several French Language school ski trips for his students to Quebec. He was an avid reader, enjoyed history, and loved to travel. He was a caring person, looked after the needs of his aging parents for many years. His nieces and nephews, and friends, will never forget Uncle Bob and his perpetual smile and warmth, he encouraged them and did so much for them through the years. Thanks to the staff of the CCAC Oxford County and the Palliative Care Unit at the Woodstock General Hospital for their wonderful care and kindness shown to Bob. A Memorial Service will be conducted at the Maranatha Christian Reformed Church in Woodstock, Ontario, (Highway 59 near 401 interchange 232). To be held on Saturday, 9 September 2006 at 11:00 a.m. with a reception following the service to share in a time of Remembering Bob. Cremation has taken place and a Internment to take place at a later date in the Oxford Memorial Park Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society and may be arranged through the R.D. Longworth Funeral Home, Woodstock, 519-539-0004. On-line condolences at www.longworthfuneralhome.com