Died: March 23, 2013
Cause of Death:
Compications of C.O.P.D.Obituary for David A. Van Vleet:
David A. age 63, of Hopkins, formerly of Wayzata, passed away peacefully on March 23, 2013. Preceded in death by parents, Lloyd and Dolores; and brother, Larry. Survived by wife, Joan; children, Grant, David (Jennifer), Robert (Nesha) and James (DiAnne); 13 grandchildren; siblings, Linda (Craig) Brown, Lloyd (Terri), Steve, and Denise (Michael) Becker; also many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Memorial service will be held Friday, March 29th at 1 PM with visitation one hour prior to the service at:
Washburn-McReavy
Strobeck Johnson Chapel
1400 Mainstreet, Hopkins
952 938-9020
Remembrance from Randy
Lofgren:
My long time friend David VanVleet passed away last night. I got the call from Buddy at about 10:30. He had been a week in the hospital with complications from a lung disease he had fought for years. Many memories of Dave went through my head as I lay sleepless last night.
I met Dave and his brother Larry at the Wayzata Country Club caddy shack. It was probably 1963 and the caddy shack was a great place to hang out if you wanted to pick up a few bucks carrying golf bags for the day or playing cards for the other guys earnings. Dave was a very good card player. It was the beginning of very good friendship that consisted of meeting the rest of the VanVleet brood, lots of laughter and drama ensued over the next 50 years.
Dave was bigger than life. His family name became legend in Wayzata. We next worked together at Duke's
Restaurant with Dee his mom as cook and Mark Lundberg, Bill O'Melia,and Mary Schnable, as car hops for the summer. Mary was the cutest girl in town and Dave's girlfriend. We were all very impressed with Dave. In Jr High Dave was the best dancer and, unafraid, would glide around the Rec Room during lunch break 45's with his choice of dance partners. He was cool. So cool he even danced on Date with Dino the afternoon TV show in Mpls. we used to watch. Dave was a legend in the making. Soon Dave found himself in front of a judge for one of the daily petty crimes we were doing at the time and he was caught for. We were 17 and the judge offered two choices, jail time or the Army. Dave chose to enlist and soon was in Vietnam, I remember he flew in-country as we used to say totally out of uniform and no shoes the whole way. That was Dave for you always the rebel.
Then there was the epic softball games on summer Sundays. Dave carrying an extra 60 lbs. at least was famous for his high level of play and trash talk. His best move was doing the splits as a first baseman to beat a runner to the base. He was a vacuum cleaner in that corner and always up for a conference on the mound. Those of you who attended any of those games will know what I am talking about. Some of the best laughter I have ever enjoyed was with Deace Dave, or Dave the Rave as he was sometimes called. 2 great boys and 2 great wives. David, I think had a happy life, knew the importance of laughter and always had a hug for me when we met. I will miss his wit and companionship. I loved the guy.
Later Deace Dave.
Remembrance from Tom Newell:
I remember Dave. The two of us had the great idea of taking the money my mother gave me to get a hair cut and buying 3.2 beer instead. Dave convinced me that he could give me a hair cut and my folks would never know the difference. Well by the time we found someone to buy the beer for us the group had grown and we only got a beer apiece, and I can tell you Dave was no barber.
Well, even with the memory of that hair cut that my folks made me sport for better than a week as some sort of lesson, I am sorry to read of his passing.
