Jack C. Vander Woude's Obituary
Vander Woude, Jack C.
A service to the glory of God and in celebration of the life of Jack C. Vander Woude, 92, of Longview, Texas, will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, December 4, 2010, at First Presbyterian Church, Longview, Texas, with the Rev. Jonathan Jehorek officiating. Graveside services will be at 12:45 p.m. at the Rosewood Cemetery. Mr. Vander Woude died on Sunday, November 28, 2010, at his residence.
Jack was born to George and Gertrude Vander Woude on October 27, 1918, in Chicago, Illinois. He spent his childhood in Chicago and Harvey, Illinois, with three brothers, Sam, Bob and George. Jack received a bachelor of arts in chemistry from Calvin College and a bachelor of science in chemical engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology. He held memberships in Phi Lambda Upsilon, honorary science fraternity; Alpha Chi Sigma, professional science fraternity; and Tau Beta Pi, honorary engineering fraternity. Following graduation he joined Eastman Kodak as a chemical engineer in the Acetate & Plastics Development Division of Tennessee Eastman Company in Kingsport, Tennessee. He held various positions in that division until taking military leave from the company in May, 1944.
From May, 1944 until August, 1946, he served with the U.S. Navy as a Deck Officer, Navigator, Radar Officer and Amphibious Attack Officer on the E.C. Stanton in the Western Pacific and Europe. He held the rank of lieutenant j.g. at the time he left active service.
Jack met Jeannette Uddenberg while serving in the Navy and they were married in Gig Harbor, Washington, on July 27, 1946. Jeannette and Jack moved to Kingsport, Tennessee, where Jack resumed his employment with Tennessee Eastman Co. and they began their family.
In 1951, the family moved to Longview, Texas, when Jack was transferred to assist in the design and construction of the Longview plant for Texas Eastman Co., a newly formed subsidiary of Eastman Kodak. He worked for Eastman Kodak for 42 years, serving as president of Texas Eastman Co. for the last eight years of his career.
Active in professional, civic and business affairs in Longview, Jack served as an officer and/or director of the Greater Longview United Fund, the Longview Museum & Arts Center, the Civic Music Association, Good Shepherd Medical Center, the East Texas Area Council-Boy Scouts of America, the East Texas Chamber of Commerce, Longview Chamber of Commerce, and the First National Bank of Longview.
He was a member of First Presbyterian Church where he served as an elder and was a member of the Disciple Sunday School class. Jack and Jeannette enjoyed traveling throughout the world both before and after retirement and took many study abroad trips with groups from Texas Christian University and the University of Washington. Jack enjoyed playing golf and was a member of Pinecrest Country Club.
While his children felt blessed to have such a loving and supportive father and were very proud of all of his accomplishments, we are most appreciative of his devotion and the loving care that he gave to our mother during her ten-year journey with Alzheimer?s disease.
His wife, Jeannette Vander Woude, his father and mother, George and Gertrude Vander Woude and brothers, Sam Vander Woude and wife Toni, and Bob Vander Woude and wife Muriel, preceded him in death.
Survivors are his daughters, Jean Vander Woude of Washington, D.C., and Lois Hollingsworth, and her husband, Bill, of Fairview, Texas; two sons, Rick Vander Woude, and his wife, Jana, of Waco, Texas, and Bob Vander Woude, and his wife, Stalee, of Cannon Beach, Oregon; his grandchildren, Jeff Vander Woude, and his wife, Ashley, of College Station, Texas, Michael Vander Woude, and his wife, Ashley, of Houston, Texas and Kevin Vander Woude of Waco, Texas, Matt and Lauren Hollingsworth of Fairview, Texas, and Austin and Ashlyn Vander Woude of Cannon Beach, Oregon; two great-granddaughters, Addison and Lilly Vander Woude, of College Station, Texas; his brother, George Vander Woude, and his wife, Marie, of Brentwood, Tennessee; and numerous nieces and nephews who were very dear to him.
We would like to express our sincere appreciation to Carlene Addie, Alice Gary, Mary Watson and Beth Hammett, who were more like family than caregivers, for their faithful devotion to Dad and Mom.
Memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Longview or the Presbyterian Children's Homes & Services, 4407 Bee Cave Road, Suite 520, Austin, Texas 78746-6496.
The Vander Woude family would like to thank the First Presbyterian Church family and everyone who has touched our lives with hope, love, prayers and support. Your generous smiles, kind words and loving care have helped us through this time.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home 5-7 p.m., Friday, December 3, 2010.
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