James Joseph vanGelder

James (Jim) van Gelder,79, of Bremen, Indiana, passed away on Wednesday, June 25, 2025 after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Several family members were at Jim’s side when he passed peacefully in his sleep. Jim is survived by his wife of 59 years: Ann (Dziamalek) van Gelder; son: James “Jay” (Jocelyn) van Gelder, Jr. of Alvin, Texas; daughter: Michele (Tim) Lafferty of Bremen, Indiana; and son: Stephen van Gelder of Bremen, Indiana. Proud grandparents and great-grandparents, Jim and Ann have six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Born and raised in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Jim and Ann were high-school sweethearts and began their family there. After living for several years in Bangor, Maine, they settled in Houston, Texas, where they owned and operated Subway sandwich stores for many years. Upon retirement they moved to Indiana to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Jim was a man full of love. Love for his family and his friends, and he truly enjoyed time spent with them, especially in the great outdoors pursuing his passions of hunting and exploring the natural world. No one who knew Jim could escape his smile or his sense of humor. He loved a good joke. He will be missed by everyone who knew him. Per his wishes, cremation will take place and there will be no services at this time. In lieu of flowers, the family request memorial contributions to be made to Grace Food Pantry, 1237 W. Plymouth St., Bremen, IN 46506.