Donald Mills Vandervelde

Donald Mills Vandervelde

10/20/1934 - 5/3/2017

Donald Mills Vandervelde, born in Cylinder Iowa in 1934 and a Fox Island/Gig Harbor resident since 1968, died May 3, 2017 -- at age 82.  He spent his boyhood on the family farm, served with the US Navy and attended the University of Iowa and Ohio University.  He applied his expertise in food chemistry at companies, M&M and Brown and Haley, and also worked for the Pierce County Health Department, finally retiring to pursue his own business venture, Glendon Biofilter, Inc for many years.  Donald had a life-long curiosity about natural sciences and was the holder of at least a dozen patents in various fields.  He was a devoted Libertarian.

Donald was preceded in death by his beloved wife: Jean Elizabeth Moffat Vandervelde, and son: Peter Alan Vandervelde.  He is survived by his two brothers: Gerald Mills and Kent Mills Vandervelde, two children: Cay Beth and Paul Moffat Vandervelde, and five grandchildren: Margaret Green, Nathan Mills and Anne Vandervelde Stern, and Mei Lee and Myles Alan Vandervelde.

A memorial service for Don is arranged with Haven of Rest, Gig Harbor for May 28, at 1:30pm.  Much appreciated remembrances may be made to World Wildlife Fund at www.worldwildlife.org.

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