The second son of Arthur Garfield and Adaline VanUtt, coming into this world at Chicago, IL. Van grew up in Elmhurst IL, with his brother Damon. The family moved east to Scarsdale NY, and maintained a summer home in Franklin New Hampshire on Webster Lake, known as Swallow Hill. Van attended Principia Preparatory School, then Babson College in Massachusetts, where he learned "It is not the gale, but the set of the sail". As his ancestors served in the Revolutionary War and the Civil War, Van served as a 1st Lt. in the 46th Quartermaster Corps during WWII. He served in the European Theater and participated in the campaigns of Sicily, Rome Arno, Southern France, the Rhineland, and Central Europe. His military specialty was Graves Registration and Memorial, being attached to the 7thArmy. Many never made it back to the states. Instead of fuel, blankets, food or ammo, he took care of the fallen. With reverence and care, these men of the Graves Registration honored their gallant comrades. Later he commanded a truck battalion and brought vehicles back from Germany to the coast of France for return to the US.On July 26, 1947 he married MarySue McConnell Law at Swallow Hill NH. From there they lived in West Virginia, Florida, Indiana and finally back to Illinois in 1980. Van was a sales rep for Cluett Peabody, Arrow and Hickok, all menswear companies. In retirement he was an extremely avid reader, word - search specialist, and semi- professional bingo player. He also excelled in the personal enjoyment of ice cream, vanilla wafers and "Cheeri-Oats". Van attended the Caledonia Cong. Church, where he often sat with the bulletin tightly wrapped in his hand like a swatter. He leaves his back pew seat to the next generation. Van waits to be reunited with his children Jeffrey Vandermoor VanUtt of Carmel, Indiana; Hilary VanUtt of Belvidere, Il., and special "daughter" Wendy Morgan also of Belvidere, Il. Van also leaves friends at Northwoods Care Center, Sharon- his bestest bud, Joyce, and fellow resident s, Carolyn G and "members of the bull-pen", Art and Frank.

The family requests no flowers but rather give donations to the benevolence fund at the church.