Obituaries
John Van Overmeiren
November 6, 1938 - August 4, 2018


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VISITATION
August 7, 2018 | 4:00 P.M to 8:00 P.M. Tuesday - Yurs Funeral Home St. Charles
- August 8, 2018 | 10:00 AM Wednesday
- Bethlehem Lutheran Church 1145 N. 5th Ave (Rte 25) St. Charles
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Burial Location
Union Cemetery
Obituary
John Van Overmeiren was born on November 6, 1938 to Phillip and Florence (Olson) Van Overmeiren in the St. Charles City Hospital on Third Avenue after a long, courageous battle with lung cancer he died on Saturday, August 4, 2018.
John was a lifelong resident of St. Charles and a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church where he was baptized, confirmed, and married. During the 1960’s and 70s he served on the church council and chaired the property committee. He truly enjoyed and understood the young people of the congregation as he served as a junior high advisor.
John was a graduate of St. Charles High School, class of 1956, having participated and lettered in all sports, especially Basketball. During his junior high years he was granted a trip to the Cubs baseball park for having been a talented pitcher for the Richard Clays Boys Club. After he pitched in that “big league park”, Hank Sauer, the left field Cubs Champ, gave John one of his gloves. Continuing as a young adult John played softball on local company sponsored teams around the Fox Valley. John was a true sportsman which included fishing for walleyes, hunting game birds, and playing golf at Hughes Creek and Lake Carroll. Perhaps most of all he enjoyed snowmobiling each of the past 45 winters on the club trails in Wisconsin.
John was employed by Alumax Extrusions for 37 years, retiring in 1996. He held the same position of Vice President of Engineering and Manufacturing for this international company. Besides his family he was always genuinely concerned for the Alumax employees. By the age of 12 John demonstrated his mechanical inclination by building his first motorcycle from acquired parts. Throughout his lifetime he built and repaired almost anything using his innate inquisitive, aggressive, determined and competitive winning spirit.
After six years of dating John married his high school sweetheart, Caryl (Tonn). They had been king and queen of the prom and Christmas formal and have now been married for 58 years. Besides his wife John is survived by his daughter Debbie (Douglas) Johnson, and their two children, Brittany (Aaron) Burreson, and Brandt Johnson. He is also survived by his son Thomas (Tate) Van Overmeiren, fiancée, Marianne Ritschdorff, and Tate’s daughter, Chelsy Van Overmeiren. Others surviving him are his brothers, Robert (Harriet) Van Overmeiren, sister-in-law Barbara Daly and several nieces and nephews. John was preceded in death by his younger brother, Roger, and his parents.
Visitation will be from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. Tuesday at Yurs Funeral Home, 405 E. Main St., St. Charles. The Funeral service will begin at 10:00 A.M. Wednesday at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 1145 N. 5th Ave. followed by interment in Union Cemetery on N. 5th Ave. (Rt 25). Contributions may be made to the charity of your choice or to Bethlehem Lutheran Church in John’s memory.
For further information please call Yurs Funeral Home 630-584-0060 or www.yursfuneralhomes.com
To leave an online condolence for the family, visit the funeral homes obituary page at www.yursfuneralhomes.com. For more information, please call Yurs Funeral Home of St. Charles, 630-584-0060.
Condolences
Ralph Westphal from Jacksonville, FL
"JVO was a special person to all of us that came up through Alumax. It was always more personal to me due to the connection between him and my father as I knew JVO long before my work career started. He would show up at the St. Charles plant at 10pm to talk to a young Paint Supervisor about how to be better, he would take extra time out of his busy schedule on a trip to Hernando, MS plant to show a young Extrusion Manager how to be better, and years later he would take extra time with the same young Plant Manager at St. Charles to help him navigate through some challenging issues. Our thoughts are with the entire family - RIP JVO"
Robert Logue from Volin, SD
"Thanks for all you did for the Yankton Alumax Plant, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family - RIP JVO!"
Wesley Kicker from Hernando, MS
"JVO was quite a man, a leader, a boss and a friend. My brother Jimmy Kicker (now deceased), and I both had the privilege to work for John from the mid 1960’s until he retired. JVO was a key player in the start-up of the Hernando Mississippi Operation in 1965. I didn’t come on line until 1969 and by then my brother had a plethora of JVO stories he shared with me. My experiences with JVO were ones that even today brings a smile on my face and pleasure to my heart. Johns contributions are beyond measure. But the greatest contribution that he left was the young men and women to whom he taught the Aluminum Extrusion Industry, whether we worked under the flag of AMAX or ALUMAX, the things that no one could take away from us, JVO left with us forever. Our prayers go out to Johns family that the Lord will comfort their hearts and give them Peace during their time of mourning. May God rest your Soul big John."
Gregg 'Chippy' Cahoy from Yankton, SD
"My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of John. Here at the Yankton, SD Alumax plant, we got to know John as 'JVO'. We honor him as one of the founding fathers who helped build this plant to what it is today. In the mid 80's when I started working at Alumax, my Dept Manager would inform us to start getting our area cleaned up and in tip top shape because JVO was showing up. JVO would come around and talk with a bunch of us on how the equipment is running or what needs improving but he provided us with valuable information that we still use today. Every now and then we'll be chatting about the 'good ole days' and JVO's name will pop up. So he is like a legacy here at the Yankton plant that keeps the aluminum industry progressing on. JVO may be gone, but not forgotten."
Bruce and Lydia Tonn from Peachtree City, GA
"Caryl and family..Our love and sympathy go out to you. We were both relieved and saddened to hear of John's passing. He is no longer suffering and is at peace but we will all miss him. I always enjoyed conversations with John at family gatherings or just a sit down visit. I fondly remember your visits to the farm, pheasant hunting, your wedding, birth of your children and grandchildren and your 50th wedding anniversary just to name a few. So many good memories that will always be there. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. RIP John"
harold baker from Rochelle, IL
"I've always said and told people JVO was the smartest man I ever met in the aluminum extrusion industry. I don't care if you want to talk paint, casting, anodizing, extrusion, equipment, finance or anything pertaining to the industry, he knew it! We had 5 great trips to Austraila in 1996 for a tubing press operation, many stories from those trips. I had two great bosses in my career, JVO @ Alumax and Bob Bauer @ Howmet. I always said they came out of the same mold! They both worked hard, played hard and respected you for what you did and not your education. JVO was a great man and will be missed by all. My thoughts and prayers are with JVO and family. Thanks for being my friend. RIP Big John."
Barbara Gacic from St. Charles, IL
"Caryl, Tate and family- Just a note to say you are in my thoughts and prayers. (Barb at Jones, Sager & Company)"
John A Brown from Aurora, IL
"Deb, I am so sorry to see your father passed away. M thoughts and Prayers are with you and your family."
Lake Carroll Fishing Club from Lake Carroll, IL
"John was a lifetime member of the Lake Carroll Fishing Club. The wishes to send its sincerest condolences to his family. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this time of loss."