GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. — John Van Laar, a prominent member of the baking industry, died on Dec. 9. He was 91.
Mr. Van Laar was born on June 14, 1932, in Holland, Mich. After attending Calvin University for a semester, Mr. Van Larr joined the US Air Force and discovered a love for flying and mechanics. He would later work as a commercial pilot for United and hold a temporary position as a private pilot for the bakery manufacturing company Werner Lehara (later APV Baker and now Baker Perkins) in Grand Rapids.
After flying with Werner Lehara for months, Mr. Van Laar learned more about the business side of the bakery manufacturing industry and remained at the company for 41 years before “retiring” in 1998.
Mr. Van Laar later founded his own company where he would work as a consultant in the bakery engineering industry.
Outside of the baking industry, Mr. Van Laar was a member of several boards. He was a board member at Kent County Aeronautics and the West Michigan-based Chaplain Services, the former of which he would be part of for 36 years (until 2010) in addition to spending 13 years as chairman.
Mr. Van Laar spent 65 years as an elder, deacon and member of the Calvin Christian Reformed Church.
He also wrote an autobiography titled “My First 80 Years.”
Mr. Van Laar is survived by his children Jim Van Laar, Joan Brockette, David (Keri) Van Laar, Dan (Julie) Van Laar, and Lynn (Jerry) Sytsma; a sister-in-law Jan (Hopkins) Hoeksema; 15 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; and his companion, Marian Baker. He was preceded in death by his parents Lambertus and Sadie (Boermans) Van Laar, his grandson Brian Brockette, his sister Myrtle Van Laar, and his wife Barbara (Hoeksema).
A Celebration of Life service is scheduled for Dec. 21 at 11 a.m., with a visitation one hour prior to the service, at Cascade Fellowship CRC, 6655 Cascade Rd. SE. Grand Rapids, Mich. Instead of flowers, the family of Mr. Van Laar asks for memorial contributions to World Renew or the Calvin Christian Reformed Church Family Assistance Program.
