William Gerhard van Werkhoven

William Gerhard van Werkhoven

11/24/1922 – 6/3/2023

William Gerhard van Werkhoven passed away peacefully by his wife Darlene’s side on the morning of June 3, 2023, at the age of 100.  

He was born Nov. 24, 1922, in Nijmegen, in the province of Gelderland, The Netherlands, to Cornelius Adrianus Antonius van Werkhoven and Petronella Johanna Boeken van Werkhoven. Willy was the oldest child, followed by Cornelius, Petronella, and Lucy.

Will was born at the height of the worldwide Great Depression, when, as a child, he recalled the chant he heard in the streets, “What do we have: HUNGER!” He never forgot the haunting voices of unemployed men plaintively chanting the phrase.

When WWII broke out, Will had just graduated from Technical School after completing his drafting and design education. He joined the Dutch underground resistance where he worked with the Allies to receive weapon drops, assemble weapons, gather information, and perform tasks helpful to the war effort. He later served in Indonesia and was shot by a sniper in the shoulder. He was awarded the Dutch Purple Heart medal for his valor.

Returning from the war, he resumed work as a draftsman/engineer and married Eugenie (Ineke) Guljé. Immigrating to Canada to join his younger sister, a war bride, he worked as a surveyor in the harsh Canadian winters, especially challenging work. 

Will moved to the US to work as an advanced design engineer in the automotive industry, at American Motors Corporation, where he spent the major part of his work life. He and Ineke welcomed their three children to the world: Miriam, Philip, and Christine. Will worked hard to make a comfortable home for his family, whom he deeply loved.  His marriage to Ineke ended in divorce due to differing interests. He later moved to the Washington, D.C. area and had a career as a design engineer and Government Contractor with the Navy and later with a Solar Energy company where he developed and ran the engineering department. 

Having grown up around water in Holland, Will gravitated to boat shows and sailing in Annapolis on the weekends. He assisted his friend, a boat dealer, with receiving new imports in Baltimore and motoring the new sailboats to a local yard in Annapolis for rigging just for the love of sailing. In 1976, Will spotted Darlene, a female skipper he had heard about, high up the mast in a bosun’s chair repairing her rigging. He said to himself, “Those are not a man’s legs, that must be the woman skipper I heard about!” They became acquainted during that weekend charter and were married in 1982, They spent many happy years sailing their numerous sailboats on the Chesapeake Bay, the Dry Tortugas, the Bahamas, and the British Virgin Islands. They even lived onboard for two years. The joy of this shared adventure drew them even closer together.

Eventually, Darlene and Will purchased a historic farmhouse built in 1862 on the Eastern Shore of Virginia and they spent the next 27 years tinkering with it, making it a comfort and joy for all. There wasn’t an inch of the property that hadn’t been improved by their loving hands. Will built a new garage reusing the bricks from an old outdoor kitchen and added a large screened-in porch to the house. He planted numerous trees and built a huge white fence surrounding the property. His ingenuity, skill, and attention to detail were displayed everywhere. Many happy memories were shared by family and friends as they visited the charming white farmhouse in Painter, Virginia over the years. There was swinging on the swing Will installed on the huge Sycamore tree in the front yard and sailing on the nearby Chesapeake Bay. Guests could see the ponies at Chincoteague Island, and llamas and emus at nearby farms. Many lovely meals were shared around their dining room table, including Darlene’s famous crab cakes. This beautiful home, so lovingly restored, was a haven for them and for friends and family who were warmly welcomed. A wedding was even performed under the Sycamore tree for a dear friend who had been an exchange student from Holland.  

During their time at the Eastern Shore, they adopted first one golden retriever, Mieke, and subsequently another, Jasper. Everyone in the area recognized Will and his dog, walking the beautiful countryside, or traveling in his little truck together. Will was an excellent dog trainer. He even trained both dogs to only eat from his right hand. Will’s love for dogs blossomed in full with these two, and they brought him great joy. 

In 2016 Will and Darlene made the significant move away from the Eastern Shore, where they had built a life, to Utah where Darlene could be close to her family. This selfless act speaks volumes about the kind of man Will was. He cherished and adored his “lovey”, as he affectionately called Darlene. They were darling together as they tended to each other so carefully in later years and were wonderful, loving companions.

Blessed with a brilliant mind, he was sharp until the very end, reading the Economist, The Atlantic, and his Dutch Newspapers daily. Staying abreast of current events, he was an excellent conversationalist. Will always had a puzzle set up on his card table and even completed a difficult two-sided one that would have frustrated anyone else. He was a voracious reader and was continually working on a new book. He was an expert on world Geography. He used his Dutch to help others with translations and still remembered his Latin.

Occasionally, Will would reminisce about his war experiences and although it was difficult for him to talk about, it was an honored privilege to hear this brave and decorated WWII hero talk about his experience helping the Allies liberate Europe and Indonesia. He loved his homeland, the Netherlands, and was so proud to be Dutch. 

Recently, he received a personal letter of congratulations on his 100th birthday and his service in the cause of freedom from the palace of King Willem-Alexendar of the Netherlands which greatly pleased him.   

Will had the most charming Dutch accent which only added to his distinctive personality. He always carried a handkerchief in case someone needed one. Darlene was grateful that he was so attentive to her and escorted her places by gently touching her elbow so she could feel him near her. 

Will always looked for ways to be helpful and he left every place he lived better as a result. He made countless improvements in the little LDS branch building in Painter, Virginia, and the homes of his children, even building several decks. He was a devoted and kind neighbor and friend. His quiet and understated demeanor was pleasant to be around. He was a true gentleman.

Will was incredibly proud of his family. His three children, Miriam, Christine, and Philip, and 4 grandchildren, Cory, Derek, Katrina, and Colin, were his light and joy. He loved having them visit and was so grateful they took the time to travel to Utah to be with him in his later years. Most recently, he had visits from his children and his grandchildren who live back east and although he was failing at that point, he willed himself to make it a wonderful visit for them, sharing meaningful stories and photos from his past. On the morning they departed, he declined rapidly and passed away 4 days later. 

Will, who was affectionately referred to as “Uncle Will,” lived a full and wonderful life. He will be dearly missed by all who were privileged to know and love him.

Will is survived by his wife, Darlene Stice van Werkhoven; his children Miriam van Werkhoven, Christine vW Sleppy (Patrick), and Philip van Werkhoven;

grandchildren Cory, Derek, Katrina, and Colin van Werkhoven. 

Will’s step-children are Rebecca (Peter) Smeed, and her children: Jenifer (Damian) Kidd, and their children; and Emily (Jake) Lewis and their children.

Wm. Karl (Hege) Farnsworth and their children: Katrina Crosby (Daniel), the late Kirsten Farnsworth (Dan Kuester), Erik (Kirsty) Farnsworth, Jonathan (McKenzie) Farnsworth, and Jacob Farnsworth and their children

Will’s parents and siblings have predeceased him. He was the last of his generation in his family.

A Memorial Service will be held on

Saturday, June 17, 2023  

Gathering 12:00-1:00 pm

Service 1:00 pm 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

3155 Garden Dr, Lehi, UT 84043

Burial immediately follows in the Lehi City Cemetery

Link to view Funeral on YouTube

https://youtube.com/live/ZWvKMFFNK_c

A Memorial Mass will be offered in Will’s name Sunday, July 2, 2023, 5:00 pm

St John the Baptist Catholic Church 300 East 11800 South Draper, UT 84020

A recent story on KSL honoring Will on his 100th birthday

https://ksltv.com/515653/lehi-man-celebrates-100th-birthday/