Robert Edward Van de Ven was born November 5, 1939 in Oak Park, IL., to Martha Charlotte Roerig Van de Ven and Edward Garret Van de Ven. The youngest of three sons, Van was educated in the community of Austin, Chicago. He attended Hay Elementary School and graduated in 1957 from Austin High. After high school he attended the University of Illinois at Champaign and Navy Pier. He graduated from Parsons College in Fairfield, IA in 1962, after which he attended the Lutheran School of Theology in Maywood, IL.

Pastor Van was called to serve his parish in Dongola, IL, in 1966. This dual parish included St. John's, the oldest Lutheran Church in continuous existence in the state of Illinois. His second calling was to serve as Associate pastor of Trinity Lutheran in Mt. Morris, IL, where he had served as an intern in 1965. In August 1969, he was called to serve as Pastor of Cambridge Lutheran Church (IL), remaining there until accepting a 1981 call as Co-Pastor at First Lutheran Church, Decatur, IL.

In January, 1985, Pastor Van received and accepted the call as Pastor of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Culver City, CA. He served the people of Grace faithfully until October 1994, when he was unable to physically continue full-time work due to treatment of Plasma Cell Leukemia, diagnosed in May, 1994. After treatments and a stem cell transplant, Pastor Van resumed his full-time ministry at Grace. In September 1996, he came out of remission and went on a 75% disability in October. His last sermon was delivered in his extraordinary style on Easter Sunday, 1997.

An involved pastor, Van served in Illinois as: director of national Youth Ministry Encounter at Anna State Hospital; staff member and coordinator of the Illinois Luther League Youth Leadership school; Pastoral Advisor to the Illinois Luther League Unit; Illinois Synod Youth Ministry Emphasis Task Force; Illinois Synod Worship Committee member; on the Camp and Conference Committee; founder of the Andover Cluster Confirmation Camp and School, designing the curriculum; Vice Pastor to five congregations; Dean of the Central District in Illinois; representative to the Committee of Deans on the Illinois Synod Council; plus other minor duties.

In California he served on the Synod Finance Committee, stewardship visitor, Camping Pastor at El Camino Pines and Yolijawa, and Conference Ministry Coordinator. He was proud to serve on the 1989 Synod Assembly Planning Committee and in 1990 was named Coordinator for Mission90.

He was not only involved in the life of the church. Following are some of his commitments to the communities in which he lived: Boy Scouts, Religious Awards Chairman of Illowa Council; Scouting coordinator for two troops; Kiwanis member; charter member of Cambridge Rotary and later President; CROP Appeal Chairman; Salvation Service Unit; speaker for the Henry County Mental Health referendum; establishing a Meals on Wheels program; chaired public school sex education committee; president of a ministerial association; and substitute bus driver for the rural school district. He was active with the Human Relations Association, the YMCA Board, and Decatur Area Ecumenical Council. In Culver City he was co-founder of the Westside Religious Leaders Consortium that met at West Los Angeles College, a member of the Culver City Rotary Club, and a member of the Culver-Palms YMCA Board of Managers.

Robert Van de Ven met and married Claudia Hutton and are the parents of John Mark and Mara Kay, both of which they are very proud. Van and Claudia celebrated their 34th year of marriage on April 6, 1997. During their marriage they were involved in many activities, mainly opening their home for emergency foster care for over 30 teens. This consumed many hours of love and care as some of the teens remained for long periods. One of the teens, Karen, is loved as a daughter and her own daughter is Van and Claudia's godchild - baptized by Van.

Claudia is now retired from the Federal Government and living in Southern California. Son, John, is employed by the US Navy and lives with his wife, Saturn, overseas. Daughter, Mara, is employed by Stanford University and lives with her husband, Chris in Northern California. They still feel the loss of their husband and father, but are so blessed to have known and loved him.

Memorials can be sent to USC Norris Center in honor of the life of the Rev. Robert E. Van de Ven

Birth:
Chicago, Illinois
November 5, 1939
son of Edward G. & Martha C. (Roerig) Van de Ven

Life:
North Royalton, Ohio
April 6, 1963
married Claudia Kay Hutton

Rockford, Illinois
May 14, 1966
father to John Mark Van de Ven

Rockford, Illinois
June 7, 1969
father to Mara K. (Van de Ven) Violanti

Death:
Los Angeles, California
April 10, 1997
ashes are interred in Cambridge, Illinois