Person:David Van Laanen (1)

About Dave Van Laanen

David Edward "Dave" Van Laanen was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and moved with his family in 1949 to Southern California. He attended St. Agnes High, then Hollywood High School and graduated with the class of 1954. He was active in sports, playing on both the Football and Track squads. He won several track meets with winning broad jumps in excess of 21-22 feet. [Source: Hollywood High School Poinsettia Yearbook, 1954].

Dave attended Los Angeles City College for two years, a year and a half at Cal State L.A. where he studied engineering, but his college education was interrupted when he was drafted into the Unifed States Army. He opted to join the paratroops, where he served with the 82nd Airborne Command and Control Battalion. He was honorably discharged as a Specialist Fourth Class from the Army in 1960.

David joined Ralphs Grocery Company as a boxboy in 1954, worked his way up to key person, Store Manager at Ralphs stores #56 in West Covina and #43 in San Marino. In 1978, Dave was promoted to Deli Supervisor, later promoted to Dairy/Deli Merchandiser and served as an exemplary employee. Dave was an active member, and in 1983 was elected to the Deli Council Board of Directors of the Dairy/Deli/Bakery Council of Southern California, a local Food Industry Trade Association, and attended many of its meetings, seminars and functions.

He served on the Board of Directors through 1986 and received the DDBC "Big Cheese Award" for his service and contributions to the industry in April 1983.

Dave was a gentleman, a friend to many and is remembered with fond memories by all of them.

Citations

http://www.locategrave.org/l/960593/Van-Laanen

Familysearch

1.   Minnesota Department of Health. Minnesota Birth Index, 1935-2002.

   Minnesota Birth Index, 1935-2002
   Name: David Edward Van Laanen
   Birth Date: 8 Aug 1935
   Birth County: Hennepin
   Birth State: Minnesota
   Father: George Edward Van Laanen
   Mother: Elizabeth Bertha Gissler
   File Number: 1935-MN-001836

2.   Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index: Death Master File, database. (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service).

   U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-Current
   Name: David E. Vanlaanen
   SSN: 572-44-0934
   BORN: 8 Aug 1935
   Died: 30 Aug 1998
   State (Year) SSN issued: California (1951)

3.   Find A Grave.

   David E Vanlaanen
   Birth: Aug. 8, 1935
   Death: Aug. 30, 1998
   
   http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=VANL&GSpartial=1&GSbyrel=all&GSst=6&GScntry=4&GSsr=1&GRid=85538220&

4.   U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. National Cemetery Administration. U.S. Veterans Gravesites, ca.1775-2019. (Online database: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2006).

   U.S. Veterans Gravesites, ca.1775-2006
   Name: David E Van Laanen
   Service Info.: US ARMY
   Birth Date: 8 Aug 1935
   Death Date: 30 Aug 1998
   Cemetery: Forest Lawn Memorial Park
   Cemetery Address: 1712 South Glendale Ave Glendale, CA 91205