Donald C. Van

SIOUX CITY -- Donald C. Van, 73, of Sioux City passed away Monday, May 9, 2011, at a local hospital following a brief illness. Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel, with Deacon Thomas Nash officiating. Burial will be at a later date. Visitation with the family will be one hour prior to the service Thursday at the funeral home. Online condolences may be made at www.meyerbroschapels.com. Donald was born Aug. 22, 1937, in Georgetown, Ky., the son of Sherman and Velmar (Thurman) Van. He was raised in Frankfort, Ky. At the age of 13, Don and his family moved to Seattle, Wash. After high school graduation, he served with the U.S. Army. He graduated with a degree in engineering through Boeing. Don became project manager for Boeing, building computer rooms for about 20 years. On Sept. 2, 1960, he married Amy E. Brooks in Seattle. After he retired from Boeing, the couple moved to Bagdad, Ky., and lived there for 12 years. They made their home in Sioux City six years ago. He was a member of Mount Zion Baptist Church, the Masonic Lodge of Frankfort and the Shriners. He belonged to Mensa. Don loved fishing as well as hunting, gardening and bird watching. He will be remembered as the go-to problem-solver kind of guy. Don, the man who never met a stranger. Don loved to laugh and tell jokes. Survivors include his wife, Amy; three sons, Donald Dean Van and his wife, Kim Moore of Shelbyville, Ky., Daniel Van of Lubbock, Texas, and Rady Van of Sioux City; four siblings, Nelson Van of Bagdad, Ky., Dallie Robinson of Seattle, Ron Van and his wife, Toni of Bagdad, and Raleigh Van of Bagdad; four grandchildren, Donald Dean Van Jr. and his wife, Brie, Amberly Van, Brandon Thomas and Hunter Van; a great-granddaughter, Alexis Rain Van; and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by parents, Sherman and Velmar Van; and his parents-in-law, Clarence Dean and Evelyn Lorraine Brooks. Memorials may be made in his name to the Shrine Crippled Children's Hospital in Lexington, Ky.