William C. Van Keuren

WILLIAM CHARLES VAN KEUREN Bill Van Keuren, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, passed peacefully on February 11, 2017. He was born February 25, 1935, the only child to Robert and Mildred Van Keuren of Worcester, MA. Bill graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1956 with a bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering. He then began his 37 year engineering career for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft in East Hartford, CT, as a Project Engineer and Program Manager for Mature Engines. The family relocated to Florida in 1976. Bill is survived by his devoted and loving wife of 57 years, Dorothy, and their children William D. and Alexandra Van Keuren (daughter Elizabeth), Peter S. and Kimberly Van Keuren (daughter Lindsay and son Steven), Robert S. and Sandra Van Keuren (sons Christopher, Matthew, and Aaron, grandson Jackson), Susan F. and David Parrish (sons David and Thomas), Debra L. and Robert Gassaway (sons Michael and Adam) and James C. and Monique Van Keuren (son Caleb). Bill was an avid Boston Red Sox fan his entire life. As a young boy, Bill was involved in scouting and later joined the U. S. Air Force, as an adult, serving his country. From youth throughout his life he had many hobbies, including building models, drawing, developing his photos in his darkroom, woodworking, and tinkering with electronics. As a young man, he proudly restored a 1931 Ford Model A with which he drove his wife from their wedding reception to their life together. Bill enjoyed people and had a gift of building lasting relationships with everyone he met. He maintained close ties with his high school buddies, college friends, and Pratt family. Bill always loved history and exposed his children to numerous, educational and historical vacations while living in New England. As a Floridian, he enjoyed a new hobby, boating, which provided numerous new memories for he and his family. After retiring in 1993, Bill and Dorothy enjoyed traveling both domestically and abroad. He had visited 47 different countries, by air, land and sea. He and Dorothy surprised their children and their families with two trips of a lifetime, weeklong cruises to, as he put it, "Build lasting memories." He continually attended his grandchildren's various sporting and academic events throughout their lives. Bill was a lifelong learner and reader. He was an artist who created carvings and free hand paintings. He bought his first computer after retiring which kept him occupied. He also set out to learn the game of golf, in order to spend time with his sons. He enjoyed weekly golf outings with friends and breakfast with his friends and former Pratt colleagues. Eternally the engineer, he always had a project underway and continually developed solutions to any problem he encountered. Bill will be missed by everyone who was fortunate enough to be in his life. A visitation will be held 5:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday, February 16 at Taylor-Modeen Funeral Home in Jupiter, FL. A funeral service will be held Friday, February 17, at 11:00 a.m. also at Taylor-Modeen, followed by burial at Riverside Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers the family has asked that you consider donations in his name to St. Jude Children's Hospital