John Van Kal

Services of remembrance for John Van Kal will be held Saturday, Aug. 9 at 2 p.m., at Oak Harbor First Reformed Church with Pastor Tad Southard officiating. A reception for family and friends will follow in the church fellowship hall.

Mr. Van Kal, 86, died July 30, 2003 at Whidbey Island Manor following a lengthy illness. He was born June 12, 1917, in Rotterdam, Holland, to Cornelius and Yzina (Verschoor) Van Kal. He completed elementary school and then went on to complete four years of trade school, learning the skills of a carpenter.

John began his building career in Holland. For a time, he left construction and assisted his father in his cow hide business. He joined the Dutch Army during World War II. With the German invasion of Holland, he was placed in a concentration camp in Amersfoort. After five days as a prisoner, John’s wife and his father rode their bicycles the distance of 100 miles to the concentration camp, where they assisted him in safely escaping back to Rotterdam. John was married to Johanna Hendrika Baan on Oct. 12, 1938.

John, Jo and their daughter moved to Wassenaar in 1946, where he served as a police officer. They moved on to Groningen in 1949, where he again assisted with the cow hide business with his father.

In 1950, the Van Kals immigrated to the United States with their daughter, settling in Oak Harbor. John began building homes in Oak Harbor with Cliff Nienhuis. That partnership lasted about 12 years. In the early 1960s he formed his own construction business, which he operated until 1983. His work was primarily residential construction.

John was a member of the First Reformed Church of Oak Harbor and the Oak Harbor Elks Lodge No. 2362. He enjoyed gardening, fishing, carpentry, painting, camping, sports, including soccer, football and ice skating. He was very involved with his grandchildren’s hobbies and sports. Most of all, he enjoyed being with his family and friends, and especially with his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

John is survived by his wife of 64 years, Jo, at the family home in Oak Harbor; by one daughter Joanne Boyer and Bob Wilson of Oak Harbor; by one sister Christina Goverde and husband Wim and family; by three grandchildren, Kathleen and Robert Reinstra, Cindy and Gene Watson, Carla and Vince Terlaje; and by four great-grandchildren, Sherri Reinstra, Michael and Sarah (Boon) Reinstra, Chad Purdue and Kyle Terlaje.

Memorials may be made to the Tall Elks or the Elks National Foundation. Cremation was held with private family inurnment to follow at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of Burley Funeral Chapel. This obituary is on-line at http://burley.plan4ever.com.