He was born in Pease, Minnesota, a grandchild of Dutch immigrants, the eldest of six children. His family moved to California where he graduated from Concordia High School and San Francisco State University. He earned his MBA from Central Michigan University. He completed nearly 40 years of managing all types of contracts with and for the Department of Defense, NASA, and other agencies, 28 of those with the U.S. Air Force. Following his military career he worked in government relations for Grumman Aerospace Corporation and in government contracting for NC State (Go Pack!). He was especially proud of leading Ethics Workshops at NC State.
Van married Dorri DeWit in 1956 and together they wove a beautiful tapestry of love for each other, for family and friends, for strangers, and for God. Van will be remembered for his optimism, generosity of spirit, and humor – he was never without a story or kind word. Generations of children have grown up learning to be ‘awesome’ rather than just ‘good’, as he shared his optimism with everyone he interacted with. Bluebird houses grace many yards across several neighborhoods, where he shared his love of nature with others. For many years, he shared the Gospel by distributing Gideon New Testaments; his entire life he shared the love of God through his actions: ”I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!” (Matthew 25:40). He loved long story jokes, especially if he could get at least halfway through before you realized it was a joke. Friends and family will always smile as they hear or share certain ‘Van-dalisms’ such as ”What are you sinking about?”, ‘First Mate, bring me my brown pants!’, ‘No go without an audible click’.
Van loved cars and enjoyed several vintage Volkswagen Beetles during his life. His recollection of his first date with Dorri would not be complete without the description of the antique car they walked by in the parking lot! He finally owned his first convertible in his late 60s, coming home with a brochure after kicking tires at the dealership. Dorri said, ”Just go get it already. You already can’t drive at night and pretty soon you won’t be able to drive at all.“ The car was in the driveway the next day and he enjoyed his years driving with the local Miata club. His son Kevin, grandson Austin, and great grandson Ashton appear to have inherited his car gene as well.
Van was preceded in death by his parents, William and Frances Van Sloten, and his brother Roger. He is survived by his wife, Dorri and three children, Kerry Harwood (partner Raymond Conroy), Kevin (wife Susan), and Kyle (partner Julie Orres), as well as beloved grandchildren Gregory and Ian Harwood and Austin and Tyler Van Sloten and great grandson Ashton Van Sloten. He is also survived by four siblings, William Van Sloten, (Tracy, CA), Arenda Gunther (Alameda, CA), Carolyn Wallace (Solana Beach, CA), and Darlene Van Sloten, (Mäennedorf, Switzerland).
The family would like to thank his church family for love and support, long-standing friends and neighbors who continued to visit Van as his health declined, new friends at Searstone Retirement Community who supported him and Dorri through these last months, and the staff at Brittany Place who cared for him with skill, grace, and love.
Van, you have entered into your eternal rest. Now it is our turn to try and be worthy of your memory by following your example: to be decent people, to care for family and think of others first, and to live each day with joy and enthusiasm.
In lieu of flowers, Van’s family suggests donations to The Gideons International (Gideons.org) or to Meals on Wheels Durham (Meals on Wheels of Durham, Inc., 2522 Ross Road, Durham, NC 27703).
A memorial service will be held on June 8th at White Plains United Methodist Church, 313 SE Maynard Road, Cary, North Carolina, at 2:00 PM. All are invited to visit with the family during a reception immediately after the service.
