Peter Henry "Pete" Van Bergen

Peter Henry "Pete" Van Bergen, 74, of Dover, DE passed away at home on February 12th, 2026. A devoted husband, father, uncle, cousin, friend, godfather and grandfather, Pete will be remembered for his work ethic, mechanical talent, generous spirit, problem-solving mind, and an unwavering willingness to help others.

He was born August 19th, 1951, in Philadelphia, PA, to hardworking parents Klaas Van Bergen, a post-World War II immigrant who proudly served in the Royal Dutch Navy, and Maureen O'Kane Van Bergen a 1st generation US citizen who participated in the USO. Pete later lived with his family in Aston, PA and Wilmington, DE. As a young adult, he and his parents moved to Florida in 1971. They later shared memories of how only in Florida would it rain on one side of the street, and not the other. The trio later returned to Wilmington, DE where Pete married his first wife, Cheryl, in 1977 with whom he had 3 children; Jacquelyn, Jocelyn, and Peter C. Later in life Pete met his wife and now widow, Patty, whom he met through an online service during the infancy of online dating (a testament to his love of all things technical until the very end); they lived together since 2010, married in June 2022 and were together more than 20 years. Pete lived the remainder of his life in Delaware; Wilmington, then semi-retired in 2014 moving full-time to his Ocean View home of nearly 30 years with Patty. Finally, in 2021 they settled in a Dover, DE community, just around the corner from son Peter and family, where they quickly built friendships with neighbors, and he learned to slow down and enjoy life as well as travel with Patty. They traveled extensively including to his father's homeland of the Netherlands, the Balloon Festival Albuquerque, NM, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Smoky Mountains, and Grand Canyon amongst others. The Grand Canyon was one of Pete's fondest memories.

As the son of Dutch Navy man, Pete answered the call to serve his country joining the Army National Guard and completing basic training at Fort Dix. He was later assigned to Aberdeen Proving Ground and achieved sharpshooter status with the M-16 rifle. His uniform, army blankets and other items from his service were later stored in a wardrobe cabinet in which his daughters and their friends would later use as a hiding place for hide and seek in the basement of their family home.

Following in his father's and uncles' footsteps, throughout his life, he was well known for his ability to fix anything, and his attention to detail and meticulousness served him well in making improvements to multiple residences throughout his life. Including a total kitchen renovation with the help of his father; gutting, new flooring, new cabinets, recessed lighting and learning to cut and carve Corian in late 1989 and soldiering on to finish the project solo after his father's passing in 1990. The two also built a complete addition onto his first home which included a bathroom, fireplace with red brick hearth and chimney, stone flooring, a bay window, and French doors leading to a full deck. Together they also built an oversized shed at the same residence. The two could also be found enjoying weekend fishing in his boat on the Delaware Bay; often accompanied by his daughter, Jacquelyn. He and "calamity Klaas" often experienced the joys of a money pit a boat can be. But each time they experienced outboard motor issues on their fishing trips, their ability to fix anything shined. They would make the repairs out on the waters and return safely to shore to clean and filet their catch. Later in life, and rid of the money pit, he enjoyed charter fishing with his son, Peter. His love for the water was not limited to fishing boat expeditions. He loved the ocean, the beach, swimming, fishing, seafood, and owned a home in Ocean View, DE until 2021.

Pete also had a lifelong obsession with automobiles and especially muscle cars. He enjoyed attending car shows (dragging Patty along at times) and solving car trouble puzzles for himself, friends, and family members. He could be found by his father's side in their garage working on their cars or doing car work for others in the evenings after work and on weekends. Some lively, but still G-rated phrases, could be heard emanating from that garage when challenges arose. He once exhibited super-human strength to rescue his father, lifting a car when it fell on him. He continued his lifelong love of cars, repairs, and tinkering into his final months on this earth. His latest project -restoring a 1952 Dodge ¾-ton pickup truck, left to him by his dear friend Don Lloyd, was a testament to his craftsmanship and devotion to preserving memories through hands-on work.

Professionally, he was devoted to mechanical engineering in the HVAC industry and built a career over the years working for Hercules, Seiberlich Trane, Carew Associates, Robert D. Lynn & Associates, Brandywine CAD, and KBR.

He was a man of few words but a HUGE heart as evidenced by his unwavering helping hands and his love for animals. As a child he was known to bring stray animals home, though his father was not a fan of pets. One of those strays came to stay and was his first family pet; Tipsy, a border collie – German shepherd mix. While still living in Wilmington, he volunteered at the Mary Campbell Center. He was a lifelong Bloodbank of Delaware Donor, knowing his blood type could save many. He helped to care for both his mother and his Aunt Gerri during their health declines and also lended many a helping hand to his elder cousin Maureen Oswald as her health declined over the years. All of this in addition to physical, mechanical, and other help for family and friends over his lifetime.

He loved spending time with his grandkids; reading, playing games, building with blocks and magnetic tiles and summer fun at the community pool as well as large family gatherings to celebrate holidays and birthdays as well as some newly created family traditions in recent years. Further, he learned to relax and find joy in traveling, spending time at the community clubhouse – reigniting a billiards hobby.

Pete was predeceased by his father Klaas Van Bergen, Uncle Henri Van Bergen, Uncle Henk Van Bergen, Uncle Dirk Van Bergen, Uncle Pieter Van Bergen, Uncle Johannes Van Bergen, mother Maureen G. Van Bergen, Aunt Wilhelmina Van Bergen, Uncle Adrianus Van Bergen, cousin Agnes van Bergen, Uncle Gerard O'Kane, Aunt Gerri Conyngham, Aunt Nancy Osburn and lifelong friend Don Lloyd. He is survived by his wife Patricia "Patty" Brown and her children Matthew and Megan, sister Cathy M. Tatman, his children Jacquelyn (Tom), Jocelyn, and Peter (Emily); his beloved grandchildren Alessandra, Ryan, Jacob, Clara, Ella, and Henry. He is also survived by his cousin Fred and nearly lifelong friend Kirk Komarnicki (Debbie) as well as many cousins and extended family members in the Netherlands.

In keeping with Pete's wishes, there will be no service.

His family encourages those who knew him to honor his memory by donating blood, helping someone in need, and/or sharing memories.