Cornelius "Case" Vaandering's Obituary
Cornelius “Case” Vaandering , a Muskegon native who lived his life in devoted service to his family and others, died Sunday, Feb. 5, after a valiant fight against several respiratory illnesses.
Born Jan. 27, 1939, to Cornelius and Lena (nee Wilderom), Case was a first-generation American who spoke fluent Dutch and had a lifelong love of the Netherlands. Case, the youngest of three boys, shared his family’s interest in pigeon racing and once won first prize with his father in a 500-mile race back from Tennessee.
He attended Muskegon Christian School and Western Michigan Christian High School before joining the U.S. Army in 1958. As part of his military service, he was sent to Berlin, where he served as a guard at Spandau Prison, which housed the Nazi war criminals sentenced during the Nuremberg Trials.
This historic role was a fitting one for Case, who had a deep interest in history and current events. He remained active in the Berlin United States Military Veterans Association his entire life, most recently attending its annual gathering in New Orleans last summer.
After leaving the Army, he returned to Michigan and began working at Howmet. He would spend nearly 40 years there before retiring in 2003. The factory made parts for the aerospace industry, which explained Case’s knowledge of airplanes and dovetailed perfectly with his love of travel.
His life’s most fortuitous moment came in August 1967, when he was assigned gift table duties at a friend’s wedding. His partner in the task was a pretty college student named Judy Huizenga. Case asked her out for a slice of strawberry pie after the reception, sealing the deal on a partnership that would carry them through the next half century.
During their courtship, Case would make the hourlong drive to Grand Rapid in his Buick LeSabre to see Judy. He sometimes ended up taking her five roommates out with them on dates, too, but he never complained. He simply assured her friends that his car was big enough for all of them and quickly earned their approval, too.
Case and Judy married on June 28, 1969, at Munster Christian Reformed Church in Indiana. They honeymooned in the Netherlands, Switzerland and France, setting the stage for a lifetime of traveling the world. Together, Case and Judy enjoyed a happy, fulfilling marriage based on love, selflessness and a deep faith in God. They were also fierce pinochle partners with a knack for passing each other the exact card needed.
Their son, Eric, was born in 1971. He would inherit his father’s smile, his charitable nature and his insatiable wanderlust.
The trio would climb into the family car each summer and head out on road trips meticulously planned and researched by Case. He knew all the most interesting spots and where historical markers could be found, no matter how far off the beaten path.
He also made regular trips to the Netherlands, where he and Judy loved to spend time visiting with family and teaching Eric about his ancestral heritage. These vacations alway included side trips to other European cities, including East Berlin where Case lamented the Wall’s erection in his travel journal and wished for a more united city someday.
For nearly four decades, Case woke before dawn and headed to Whitehall for work at the Howmet factory, where he also served on several union boards. His days were no less busy after retirement, as he volunteered with several organizations including Meals on Wheels, International Aid and Volunteer Muskegon.
After successfully battling esophageal cancer in 2005, he began volunteering as a driver for the American Cancer Society and took people to chemotherapy and other medical appointments. His kindness and genuine concern for others made him the ideal car companion during such a difficult time.
He and Judy also continued traveling, exploring countries all over Europe and Central America. In 2007, he, Judy and Eric went on an African safari with several friends, spending 12 days in Kenya.
For the vast majority of Case’s life, Allen Avenue Christian Reformed Church served as his spiritual and social center. He served as a deacon and treasurer for several years and could be found in pew each Sunday morning with a roll of King mints for anyone who needed them.
Case followed a strict moral code for himself but never judged or ridiculed anyone else for how they lived their life. He believed in God, serving others and that brownies should never be frosted.
He loved his family, giving back to his community and the Detroit Tigers no matter their record.
“My idea of perfect happiness is a strong marriage, good health, loving children and being a Christian,” he recently wrote to his son. “Having some good friends - not necessarily many but some that are close to you - good neighbors and a job that makes enough to support your family.”
Case Vaandering, by his own definition, achieved perfect happiness and made others happy in return. He would be embarrassed by all this fuss and adulation, but he left this world a better place and that deserves celebration.
He is survived by Judy, his wife of 53 years; his son, Eric, and daughter-in-law, Stacy; his brother Jim (Betty) Vaandering, sister-in-law Arlene Morford, brother-in-law Ken (Tricia) Huizenga, sister-in-law Annette Miedema, sister-in-law Joyce Huizenga; and many adoring nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
His parents and brother Arnold preceded him in death.
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Allen Avenue Christian Reformed Church, 695 Allen Ave. in Muskegon. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service.
Memorials may be sent to Muskegon Christian School or Agewell Services, which runs Muskegon’s Meals on Wheels program.
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