John L. Vanderheiden
November 22, 1930 — June 16, 2015
John Louis Vanderheiden was born on November 22, 1930 to John and Veronica (Beyerink) Vanderheiden in Carroll, Iowa. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Carroll, where he remained a member until 1959 when he moved to Harlan. He attended St. Lawrence Catholic School and went on to graduate from Carroll High School.
On May 31, 1951, John was united in marriage to Neoma Popp in Carroll. There were two sons born to this union: Rodney and Lindsey.
He entered the United States Army on February 5, 1952, serving his country during the Korean War as a Field Wire Specialist with the 25th Infantry Division. After his honorable discharge in November of 1953, he returned to Carroll where he continued working with his father in the moving and storage business, as he had done since he was fourteen years old. He spent several more years with his father before moving to Harlan in 1959 and starting Van’s Moving and Storage, Inc.
John was a member of the Harlan American Legion Helmer Reyelt Post No. 150 and the Shelby County VFW Post No. 941. He was a long-time member of Kiwanis from 1959 to 1979, serving as president in 1966. He also served on the Harlan City Council and the Chamber Board from 1963 to 1970. He was a long-time member of The Mayflower Warehousemen's Association and a member of the Iowa Movers & Warehousemen's Association. He was chosen Warehousemen of the year in 1960. In 1970, he was chosen as "Man of the Year" by the Harlan Chamber for his work with the first kids wrestling tournament in the State of Iowa. He was honored by the Iowa Wrestling Coaches Association in 1974 and again in 2014.
John enjoyed all sports and was an avid follower of the Harlan Community Cyclones. His hobbies included collecting old post cards, presidential postage cachets and articles, and book matches. He also loved restoring old trunks. He spent many years researching his family genealogy origin from Holland.
John moved close to 5,000 families in his forty-eight years in the moving and storage business. He retired in 1993, then worked for over seven years for Concerned, Inc. in Harlan. During his working days, he drove trucks over three million miles. He also served as a member of the Park & Rec Board for six years, the Vets Auditorium Building Board for six years, and recently was on the Harlan Cemetery Board and Cemetery Foundation Board.
He became a resident of Elm Crest Retirement Home in late April due to his health. This is where he died on Tuesday, June 16, 2015 having attained the age of eighty-four years, six months, and twenty-five days. He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers Orville and Leonard Vanderheiden; and two sisters Viola Mueggenborg and Mildred Vanderheiden.
He is survived by his wife of sixty-four years, Neoma Vanderheiden of Harlan, Iowa; his sons Rodney Vanderheiden of Bedford, Iowa and Lindsey Vanderheiden and his wife Stephanie of Longmont, Colorado; two grandchildren; other family members and many friends.
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On May 31, 1951, John was united in marriage to Neoma Popp in Carroll. There were two sons born to this union: Rodney and Lindsey.
He entered the United States Army on February 5, 1952, serving his country during the Korean War as a Field Wire Specialist with the 25th Infantry Division. After his honorable discharge in November of 1953, he returned to Carroll where he continued working with his father in the moving and storage business, as he had done since he was fourteen years old. He spent several more years with his father before moving to Harlan in 1959 and starting Van’s Moving and Storage, Inc.
John was a member of the Harlan American Legion Helmer Reyelt Post No. 150 and the Shelby County VFW Post No. 941. He was a long-time member of Kiwanis from 1959 to 1979, serving as president in 1966. He also served on the Harlan City Council and the Chamber Board from 1963 to 1970. He was a long-time member of The Mayflower Warehousemen's Association and a member of the Iowa Movers & Warehousemen's Association. He was chosen Warehousemen of the year in 1960. In 1970, he was chosen as "Man of the Year" by the Harlan Chamber for his work with the first kids wrestling tournament in the State of Iowa. He was honored by the Iowa Wrestling Coaches Association in 1974 and again in 2014.
John enjoyed all sports and was an avid follower of the Harlan Community Cyclones. His hobbies included collecting old post cards, presidential postage cachets and articles, and book matches. He also loved restoring old trunks. He spent many years researching his family genealogy origin from Holland.
John moved close to 5,000 families in his forty-eight years in the moving and storage business. He retired in 1993, then worked for over seven years for Concerned, Inc. in Harlan. During his working days, he drove trucks over three million miles. He also served as a member of the Park & Rec Board for six years, the Vets Auditorium Building Board for six years, and recently was on the Harlan Cemetery Board and Cemetery Foundation Board.
He became a resident of Elm Crest Retirement Home in late April due to his health. This is where he died on Tuesday, June 16, 2015 having attained the age of eighty-four years, six months, and twenty-five days. He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers Orville and Leonard Vanderheiden; and two sisters Viola Mueggenborg and Mildred Vanderheiden.
He is survived by his wife of sixty-four years, Neoma Vanderheiden of Harlan, Iowa; his sons Rodney Vanderheiden of Bedford, Iowa and Lindsey Vanderheiden and his wife Stephanie of Longmont, Colorado; two grandchildren; other family members and many friends.
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