Bruce Olden Van Ness • 1919 - 2003

Bruce Olden Van Ness, 83, longtime resident of Eastwood Park, passed Saturday March 15, 2003. Bruce was known to many people as Van or Paca.

Bruce was born May 1, 1919, in Lexington, VA, to Brown and Bessie Mae (Dudley) Van Ness. He graduated from Effinger High School in Lexington in 1937. In High School he was captain of the football, basketball and baseball teams. His nickname was "The Senator."
In 1940, he joined the United States Army Air Corps. During his military service he served at various bases in the United States, Newfoundland, Aleutian Islands, Milder hall and Lake Heath, England. While in Newfoundland he met and courted Violet Jean Allen, who was serving in the Royal Canadian Women's Air Force.

On December 23, 1943, they were united in marriage in a double matrimony service along with another couple. The marriages were listed in the Stars and Stripes War Time magazine because it was the joining of three nations-the United States, Canada, and Newfoundland.

In 1960, Bruce retired from the Air Force. He and the family returned to Lexington, VA, where he joined the Lexington Police Force. In 1963, he joined the Civil Service. The family then moved to Minot where he was the Recreation Director at the Minot Air Force Base until his retirement in 1976.

Bruce was an avid hunter and fisherman. He enjoyed the outdoors and coaching his daughter's softball teams. Bruce was well known for his wonderful sense of humor, quick wit and practical jokes. He was kind hearted, understanding, generous and had an easygoing personality.

Throughout his life he maintained his southern drawl and southern hospitality. Family, friends and neighbors would often gather in his kitchen for his famous southern breakfast, or beans and cornbread.

Bruce was a wonderful husband, father and a doting grandpa. He will be deeply missed until we see him again.

Blessed to have shared his life and survived by wife of 59 years Violet, Minot, ND, daughters, Ashley Van Ness, Great Falls, MT, Veronica "Ronnie" Klosterman-Rock (Luke), Minot, Shelley Fox (Don) San Antonio, TX, Allison Van Ness-Pons (Skip) Minot; special family friend, DeEtta Stevens, Minot; grandchildren, Bruce and Brian Smetana, Dana Wastjer, Laurel and Paul Klosterman, Ashley Rinehart, Vannessa Barta, Jonathan Fox, Elizabeth and Annamarie Pons; great-grandchildren, Sharla and Addie Smetana, Colton and Brooke Smetana, Karla, Amber and Timothy Rinehart; sister, Florence Moore, Lexington, VA and numerous nieces and nephews. Those who passed before him include his parents, brothers, Perry, Ray, Coleman, Leonard, Carl and Raymond and sister Ashley Agnor.

Funeral Service: Wednesday, March 19, 2003, at 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, Minot.

Visitation: Tuesday, March 18, 2003, from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot.

Burial: Rosehill Memorial Park, Minot

Officiant: Dr. Bob Edwards

Music: Processional Hymn, "On Eagles Wings"
Hardy Lieberg, vocalist
"Lord's Prayer" "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"
Virginia Geesaman, organist

Bagpiper: Aaron Malcomb

Pall Bearers: Skip Pons, Luke Rock, Paul Klosterman, Bruce Klosterman, Jay Kleven,
Casey Graves

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