Howard Vander Beek, 97, of Cedar Falls, died Friday, August 22, 2014, at Western Home Communities Elizabeth Martin Health Center. Howard was born June 8, 1917, in Oskaloosa, Iowa, the son of Teunis and Harriette (Meinders) Vander Beek. He married Grace Taylor of Ft. Pierce, Florida, on December 19, 1945, in San Francisco, California. She preceded him in death March 25, 1975.
Howard served in the United States Navy from 1942 to 1946 in both the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters. He guided the Utah beach assault during D-Day, commanding the lead boat scouting the landing point. He received a B. A. degree from the University of Iowa in 1938 and then received both an M. A. in 1948 and a Ph. D. in 1952 from Columbia University in New York City.
Howard was an English teacher in Lexington, Nebraska, for two years and in Galesburg, Illinois, for two years, was an English professor at Iowa State Teachers College (UNI) from 1948 to 1983, and taught summers at the University of Colorado. Howard also was an author, writing the textbook, "Guide to Modern English Series" and "Aboard The LCC 60", an account of his war experiences. He currently held the distinction of Professor Emeritus at UNI.
Survivors include two sons, Jon Vander Beek of Waterloo and Bob Vander Beek of Iowa City. Howard was preceded in death by his parents and wife; a brother, Henry Vander Beek, of Sparks, Nevada; and two sisters, Lena Vander Wilt, of New Sharon, Iowa and Mary Brand, of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Services will be 1 p.m. Tuesday, August 26, 2014, at the Western Home Chapel with burial in Fairview Cemetery, both in Cedar Falls. Visitation will be one hour before service time at the chapel. Memorials may be directed to First Presbyterian Church in Cedar Falls or Western Home Communities. Dahl-Van Hove-Schoof Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Copyright Waterloo Courier on-line edition; downloaded August 25, 2014.