Bernard James "Bernie" Vanderkolk, 75, died at 9:30 PM Saturday, March 28, 1998, in St. Anthony Health Care from advanced Alzheimer's disease. Born Aug. 5, 1922, on a farm near Montmorenci, he was the son of the late Cornelius and Mary Louise Robrock Vanderkolk. He spent his childhood in the North End Neighborhood of Lafayette, attended St. Lawrence Grade School and graduated from the old Jefferson High School in 1940. In 1979, he graduated from Purdue University with a degree in recreation.
Mr. Vanderkolk worked at Ross Gear Division of TRW, then entered the service. He retired in 1970 after serving 29 years. He then joined Lafayette Realty as an associate. He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 11. His hobbies included aviation, writing poetry, world history, hunting, golfing and walking.
He served as a captain in the Navy and piloted what was at the time the world's fastest fighter airplane the guillwing F4U Corsair. He also served as a lieutenant pilot in the Marine Corps following World War II, and later entered the Army as a helicopter flight instructor. He achieved the highest non-commissioned grade possible, chief warrant officer CW4.
He was stationed in California, Japan, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, Germany, Vietnam, Korea, and New York City. His honors included selection as a pilot for President John F. Kennedy and flying nearly every helicopter developed during the infancy of this field of aviation.
Surviving are his wife, Julia Marie Townsley Vanderkolk of Friendship House North in West Lafayette; six children, Kathleen Vanderkolk Peyton of West Lafayette, Janet (Mrs. Gene) Taylor of Edison, NJ, Sunny Nancy Miller of Deerfield, MA, Linda Lee Vanderkolk of West Lafayette, Joel David Vanderkolk of Cincinnati, OH, Laura (Mrs. John) Spensley of Manchester, MI; and three sisters, Rose (Mrs. Gerry) Anthrop of West Lafayette, Mary (Mrs. Conrad) Gick, and Betty (Mrs. Earl) Niccum, both of Lafayette.
--Lafayette Journal & Courier - Tue 3/31/1998
Mr. Vanderkolk worked at Ross Gear Division of TRW, then entered the service. He retired in 1970 after serving 29 years. He then joined Lafayette Realty as an associate. He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 11. His hobbies included aviation, writing poetry, world history, hunting, golfing and walking.
He served as a captain in the Navy and piloted what was at the time the world's fastest fighter airplane the guillwing F4U Corsair. He also served as a lieutenant pilot in the Marine Corps following World War II, and later entered the Army as a helicopter flight instructor. He achieved the highest non-commissioned grade possible, chief warrant officer CW4.
He was stationed in California, Japan, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, Germany, Vietnam, Korea, and New York City. His honors included selection as a pilot for President John F. Kennedy and flying nearly every helicopter developed during the infancy of this field of aviation.
Surviving are his wife, Julia Marie Townsley Vanderkolk of Friendship House North in West Lafayette; six children, Kathleen Vanderkolk Peyton of West Lafayette, Janet (Mrs. Gene) Taylor of Edison, NJ, Sunny Nancy Miller of Deerfield, MA, Linda Lee Vanderkolk of West Lafayette, Joel David Vanderkolk of Cincinnati, OH, Laura (Mrs. John) Spensley of Manchester, MI; and three sisters, Rose (Mrs. Gerry) Anthrop of West Lafayette, Mary (Mrs. Conrad) Gick, and Betty (Mrs. Earl) Niccum, both of Lafayette.
--Lafayette Journal & Courier - Tue 3/31/1998
Bernard James "Bernie" Vanderkolk, 75, died at 9:30 PM Saturday, March 28, 1998, in St. Anthony Health Care from advanced Alzheimer's disease. Born Aug. 5, 1922, on a farm near Montmorenci, he was the son of the late Cornelius and Mary Louise Robrock Vanderkolk. He spent his childhood in the North End Neighborhood of Lafayette, attended St. Lawrence Grade School and graduated from the old Jefferson High School in 1940. In 1979, he graduated from Purdue University with a degree in recreation.
Mr. Vanderkolk worked at Ross Gear Division of TRW, then entered the service. He retired in 1970 after serving 29 years. He then joined Lafayette Realty as an associate. He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 11. His hobbies included aviation, writing poetry, world history, hunting, golfing and walking.
He served as a captain in the Navy and piloted what was at the time the world's fastest fighter airplane the guillwing F4U Corsair. He also served as a lieutenant pilot in the Marine Corps following World War II, and later entered the Army as a helicopter flight instructor. He achieved the highest non-commissioned grade possible, chief warrant officer CW4.
He was stationed in California, Japan, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, Germany, Vietnam, Korea, and New York City. His honors included selection as a pilot for President John F. Kennedy and flying nearly every helicopter developed during the infancy of this field of aviation.
Surviving are his wife, Julia Marie Townsley Vanderkolk of Friendship House North in West Lafayette; six children, Kathleen Vanderkolk Peyton of West Lafayette, Janet (Mrs. Gene) Taylor of Edison, NJ, Sunny Nancy Miller of Deerfield, MA, Linda Lee Vanderkolk of West Lafayette, Joel David Vanderkolk of Cincinnati, OH, Laura (Mrs. John) Spensley of Manchester, MI; and three sisters, Rose (Mrs. Gerry) Anthrop of West Lafayette, Mary (Mrs. Conrad) Gick, and Betty (Mrs. Earl) Niccum, both of Lafayette.
--Lafayette Journal & Courier - Tue 3/31/1998
Mr. Vanderkolk worked at Ross Gear Division of TRW, then entered the service. He retired in 1970 after serving 29 years. He then joined Lafayette Realty as an associate. He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 11. His hobbies included aviation, writing poetry, world history, hunting, golfing and walking.
He served as a captain in the Navy and piloted what was at the time the world's fastest fighter airplane the guillwing F4U Corsair. He also served as a lieutenant pilot in the Marine Corps following World War II, and later entered the Army as a helicopter flight instructor. He achieved the highest non-commissioned grade possible, chief warrant officer CW4.
He was stationed in California, Japan, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, Germany, Vietnam, Korea, and New York City. His honors included selection as a pilot for President John F. Kennedy and flying nearly every helicopter developed during the infancy of this field of aviation.
Surviving are his wife, Julia Marie Townsley Vanderkolk of Friendship House North in West Lafayette; six children, Kathleen Vanderkolk Peyton of West Lafayette, Janet (Mrs. Gene) Taylor of Edison, NJ, Sunny Nancy Miller of Deerfield, MA, Linda Lee Vanderkolk of West Lafayette, Joel David Vanderkolk of Cincinnati, OH, Laura (Mrs. John) Spensley of Manchester, MI; and three sisters, Rose (Mrs. Gerry) Anthrop of West Lafayette, Mary (Mrs. Conrad) Gick, and Betty (Mrs. Earl) Niccum, both of Lafayette.
--Lafayette Journal & Courier - Tue 3/31/1998
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