Cornelius 'Neal' Van De Weert
6/20/2018
He said "I want to see Jesus" and on June 20, 2018 Jesus said "Come home. Well done, good and faithful servant." Cornelius 'Neal' Van De Weert, 92, entered the arms of his Savior at the Stewart Meyers Hospice House in Palm Coast, Florida.
Neal was born on March 9, 1926 in Midland Park, New Jersey, to the late Cornelius and Anna (Drenth) Van De Weert. He moved to Warwick, New York as a child and graduated from Chester High School in 1944. A lifelong dairy farmer, Neal, with his wife Ruth, owned and operated Laroedale Farm and Greenhouses on Ridge Road in Chester, NY until they retired. They spent many years as 'snowbirds', sharing time between their homes in Chester, NY and Palm Coast, FL before making the permanent move to Florida in 2014.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Ruth (Laroe), whom he met in high school and married on August 6, 1946; they would have celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary this year. He was 'Dad' to Wayne Van De Weert, Joan (Joseph) Adriance and Nancy (John) Kohut; 'PopPop' to Dorothy Frawley, Kevin (Robin) Van De Weert, Cynthia Van De Weert, Marjorie (Eric Croote) Adriance, Beth (Greg) Brown, Kenneth (Roxanne DeFranco) De Witte; 'Tractor PopPop/Great Grandpa' to Caitlin Frawley, Casey Van De Weert, Tyler Brown, Julianna Brown, Gabriella De Witte, Evan De Witte, and Brooke Ellison; Step-grandfather to Corey Kohut, Eric Kohut and Autumn Kohut. He is also survived by his brothers, Garry (Eleanor) and Martin (AnnaMae); sister, Ella (John) King; Sisters-in-love Marilyn Van De Weert, Dorothy Van De Weert and Ada Van De Weert as well as many nieces and nephews. Neal was preceded in death by their daughter, Janice Van De Weert; his brothers, Peter (Jennie), Barney (Dolly), Herman, John, and Albert; sisters, Minnie (Sam) Pruiksma and Emma (Bernard) Jellema and step-grandson, Brian Kohut.
A long time, dedicated member of the Goshen Christian Reformed Church in Goshen, NY, he served as both a Deacon and Elder, as well as on many committees. His commitment to both the church and the Goshen Christian School/Pre-School remained steadfast even after he moved to Florida. He attended several churches in Florida, most recently the First Baptist Church of Palm Coast. A member of The Gideons International for 40 years, Neal loved to distribute testaments and share the message of salvation: "Chosen by God, redeemed by the Son, sanctified by the Holy Spirit." Neal’s greatest joys were his family and his love for his Savior, Jesus Christ. His witness was powerful and his faith unwavering. His love of Christ is his legacy and our tribute to him is to live it forward.
Greetings for family and friends will be held on Saturday, July 7th at 10:00 am, followed by an 11:00 am memorial service, both at the Goshen Christian Reformed Church, 2440 NY-17A, Goshen NY 10924.
Donations in Neal’s name may be made to the Goshen Christian PreSchool, 2040 NY17-A, Goshen, NY 10924 or The Gideons International, Orange County Camp, PO Box 754, Middletown, NY 10940.
Calendar of Care
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