Ken W Van Deursen
(August 15, 1927 – December 20, 2007)
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday in the First United Methodist Church of Shelbyville with Rev. Lee Lovett officiating. Visitation from 4:00-7:00 p.m. Sunday and 8:30-9:30 a.m. Monday in Howe & Yockey Funeral Home, Shelbyville. Burial will be in Glenwood Cemetery, Shelbyville. Memorials may be given to the First United Methodist Church of Shelbyville or the Shelbyville Lions Club.
Mr. Van Deursen was born on August 15, 1927 in South Holland, Illinois, the son of Leonard and Alice Tysse Van Deursen. Ken attended Central College in Pella, Iowa, where he majored in business. He served in the U.S. Navy during WW II from 1945-1947 and again during the Korean War from 1951-1953. He married Frieda Gelling on July 29, 1949. They moved to Shelbyville in 1968 and owned and operated the Coast to Coast Stores (now ACE Hardware) in Shelbyville and Sullivan. Their sons Kurt and Paul joined the family business in 1985. Ken was a member of the Shelbyville Lions Club since 1969, serving in various offices including club president. He was also a member of the First United Methodist Church of Shelbyville and the Greater Shelbyville Chamber of Commerce since 1969, having served as President in 1972 and a member of the Board of Directors from 1986 to 1990. He served as chairman of the Shelbyville Board of Police Commissioners for three years and was a member of the Shelby Memorial Hospital Board of Directors from 1976 to 1989. Ken enjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing and reading.
Surviving are his three sons, David Van Deursen and wife Colleen of Sullivan, Kurt Van Deursen and wife Mara of Sullivan and Paul Van Deursen and wife Teresa of Shelbyville; brother, Les Van Deursen and wife Shirley of South Holland; and six grandchildren, Mary Smith and husband Brady of St. Joseph, Illinois and Ben, Jay, Molly, Michael and Timothy Van Deursen all of Sullivan.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Frieda on October 29, 2005; brother, Bill; sisters, Faye and Nell; and one granddaughter, Rachael Marie Van Deursen in infancy.