Arthur Artaaf Vandermeulen

Galatians 2:20

It is with great sadness we announce that our father, Arthur Vandermeulen passed away peacefully on September 27, 2023, at Peace Arch Hospital, South Surrey, at the age of 90.

Art was born on May 7, 1933, to Germain and Zulma Vandermeulen in Boissevain, Manitoba. The Vandermeulen family lived on many farms in and around the Boissevain area. Times were tough for Germain and Zulma who immigrated to Canada from the Flemish side of Belgium. He was the middle child of seven children, four boys and three girls. He moved to Vancouver in 1954 and began working for the Forest Industries of British Columbia. He worked in all aspects of sawmilling for over eight years before he joined Council of Forest Industries of British Columbia (COFI) in 1967 and devoted much time to teaching newcomers to the lumber industry. He gave many lectures throughout Canada and was actively involved in educational work for COFI lumber grading and tallying courses. He was skilled at his craft and in 1965, he won the Coast Grading Championship.

After moving to Vancouver, Art soon met Marlys Lovestone in the fall of 1955, and they were married on July 6, 1957. They were blessed with three children, Shana, Darren, and Tami-Lynn. In 1972, COFI moved him and his young family to Brussels, Belgium to work and live for three years. He was very excited for the opportunity to return and work in the country where his parents were born. While working for COFI in Europe, him and his family travelled with his job which took them all over Europe and other countries. His love for lumber opened the doors for another work adventure but this time to Paris, France in 1980 for five years. After returning he resigned from COFI and went onto work for various other forestry companies. After retirement, he started his own consulting company, VanMillion Enterprises Inc. where he was a consultant for various sawmill companies in BC well into his 80’s.

Art built three houses in his lifetime. He built his first home in Burnaby in the early 1960’s, second home in Richmond mid 1970’s, and third home in South Surrey early 1990’s. His love for building things with wood continued well into his retirement. He was always thinking what more could he craft or do with a piece of wood which became a serious hobby and business venture, and this was when his business Vanartwood was created. His hand-crafted wood products included beautiful pens, peppermills, charcuterie boards, earrings and really anything that could be created out of wood.

Art’s other love was golf. Golf was a big part of his work and leisure time. He won many awards and golf tournaments. The love of golf was passed onto his children and grandchildren. At the young age of 66 he “shot his age” with a score of 66. He played golf from his early 20’s until well into his 80’s.

Art was baptized in 1972 along with Marlys and Shana at Bethany Baptist Church in Vancouver. His ministry for God was in helping construct the churches we attended in Europe with his carpentry and woodworking skills which are on display throughout the International Baptist Church of Brussels and Emmanuel Baptist Church in France.

Art is survived by his three children, Shana Duke, Darren (Maiten) and Tami-Lynn (Ken Seidel), eight grandchildren, Melanie (Matt Buchta), John aka JJ (Kristina), Kayla (Anthony Longo), Sebastien (Ari), Taylor (Mikayla), Camille (Teddy Delaisse), Karsten (Taylor) and Talen and eight great-grandchildren Alex, Seth, Autumn, Mila, Aiden, Meganne, James, and Miles and two more on the way. He is also survived by his ex-wife Marlys, his two sisters Cecile Duncan and Mary Sheppard. He is also predeceased by his three brothers Edward, George and Maurice and sister Harriet.

Art will be laid to rest in Boissevain, Manitoba with his parents. Shana, Darren, Tami-Lynn will be taking him to his final resting place November 17-19, 2023. A celebration of Life has not yet been determined but is tentatively scheduled for some time in the spring of 2024 in the Vancouver area.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations to be made to Dravet Syndrome Foundation Web: https://dravetfoundation.org/donate/.