Frank Van Arsdale Obituary

Gone but certainly not forgotten.

Thirteen years have passed in the blink of an eye and memories of Frank are still fresh.

Dear Layne, Lee, Fran and Families,
I am so sorry to hear of Mr. Van's passing after the Memorial Service. Our memories of growing up next door are far too many to recount, but they all include the wonderful, infectious smile of your Dad and sweet caring from your Mom. Years have passed since I've seen any of you, but today our thoughts and prayers are with you all. We rejoice in knowing the man, full of grace, that you shared with us.
Chris Cutter Maynard

Layne, Lee, Fran and families,
Knowing Van for 20+ years has been a pure joy for me! He always had a smile and kind word to say. Memories will keep him near.

Dear Layne, Lee, and Fran, and all your families,
I just wanted to share my deepest sympathy in Uncle Van's passing. I hold such wonderful memories of him and those great trips for ice cream he'd take us on when your family visited Cleo Springs. The account of his life serves as a great inspiration to me and I am honored to call him "Uncle".
Love,
Carrie(Hipsher)Anderson and family,Kelly, Lacey, and Jordan

Dear ones,
What a glorious and inspiring memory your "Van" has left for you and for all of us.
I personally have really fun memories of your familie's visits to Cleo Springs. All the family would gather and Van was so much fun to visit with and watch as he interacted with the children.

It is awesome to hear and read about his faith in God and about his life of servanthood to his Lord.
In His love,
Shirley (Hipsher) Hurst

Thank you, Mr. Van, for being our friend. We hope heaven is as lovely as Colorado. We will miss you.

My deepest condolensces to Mr. Van's family. I had the privilege of teaching at Ute Pass alongside Mr. Van. He faithfully spread joy every day ... on morning recess duty together, he would greet each child with a smile and a hug, relate fascinating stories of his history with Maxine, and beam with pride over a new story about his children and grandchildren. He ALWAYS held the door for us and checked to make the sure the last child was safely inside before he would enter the building himself, no matter how cold it was! :-) He was so selfless! And Mr. Van was incredible with the children; he'd come into my first grade classroom and wouldn't leave until every child who wanted to read to him had that opportunity. His patience, encouragement, and humor built confidence into us all. Thank you for sharing your wonderful father with all of us; I'm so sorry I just learned of his passing today. I wish that I could have been at his memorial service to tell you in person how deeply I respect and admire Mr. Van. He truly gave value and dignity to each person at Ute Pass, and I'll always be grateful for the way he touched my life.

Dear Layne,Lee,Fran and Families:
What a shock on Christmas morning when Alice and I learned of Van's passing. As we attempted to deal with this news as the day passed into the night , it all seams clear. God truly works in wonderful ways! Our thoughts went back to Maxines's memorial service. Nate sang Maxine's favorite song "O Holy Night". At our midnight Communion Service the song was sung beautifully almost at the time of Van's passing.On that holiest of nights God reunited Van and Maxine.We shed tears of sorrow of course,but also tears of amazement and joy.Van and Maxine loved and served God in many ways. He returned that love in a very special way. Great family memories.

Someone such as Mr. Van, who has been a part of the Chipita Park/Green Mtn Falls community for so long will be greatly missed. A neighbor, just down the road, a friend always. He brought to life my dad for me when he spoke of teaching his kids years ago at Manitou High School. It was a little gift from him to me.
I will miss his smile at UPE but I will always have fond memories of him.

Hal and I are thinking of you all. We are so blessed to have had such special people in our lives. The passing of loved ones is such a source of sorrow and, at the same time, filled with warm thoughts of the love and special times we knew.

With sympathy and love to all the Van Arsdales.

My sincere condolences to the family. With so many friends...a testament to his living a wonderful life.

Pete and I are so sorry to hear of Van's passing. I remember how welcome he and Maxine always made me feel while visiting them in Colorado. I will also always remember Van's happy-go-lucky ways. Our deepest sympathy to all in the Van Arsdale family. Pete and I are keeping all of you in our prayers during this sad time.

29 December 2007
Farewell Comrade,Fellow Soldier and Volunteer Fireman.

Dear Fran and Family:
It is just today that our family received the news of your dad's passing. We are so sorry that all of us (Sterling, Janice, Natalie, Matt, Nicole and Chris) are out of town until January 1st. There would have been nothing else that could have kept us away from the service, the visitation and from being with you to celebrate his life and the joy he always brought to all of us. Natalie, Nicole and I are writing this together and are completely distressed that we are out of town (in Arizona visiting Sterling's parents) at this time and unable to participate in the services. We want you to know that we are close by and available for all that you need in the days to come. We pray that God comforts you all. Love from Janice, Sterling, Matt, Natalie, Sterling Jay, Nicole and Chris

A great man and a pioneer in Ute Pass Emergency Sevices, who will be sorely missed.

My condolences to the family. I will always remember Van from the GMF-CP Volunteer Fire Department, the Bronc Day Pancake Breakfasts at the fire station and as my father's (Joe Ott) friend. Van was a very special person.

To the Van Arsdale family:
My thoughts are with you all now.
I have never known a time in my life when "Mr. Van" wasn't there.
He is someone in my life that I have always looked up to and respected. He was my sunday school teacher, youth group leader and more importantly my friend. I was always amazed when I was young that Santa knew who I was, he knew my name without even asking! Wow, will that keep you in line. My children also grew up always knowing him. What a special picture I have of them when they were in daycare and "Santa Van" visited. He also let me in the kitchen a few times to help with the yearly Thanksgiving dinner at church.That was a privilege I will not forget. And of course when he made biscuits and gravy. YUM! Your mom and dad were both very special people. Thank you for sharing them with us. We all know God has a plan, and what a reminder to us of how special it is. I'm sad, but also very very happy! How special to think of Santa going home on Christmas Eve!! All of my love to you. Margaret :)

Our Mr Van will be truly missed,he was a father,neighbor,and friend all in one to us.He will live in our hearts,yet we celebrate he is with MRS Van and our Lord Jesus Christ.Love Valerie ,Chelsea, and David Clothier

I wish to send my condolences to Mr. Van's family. I will always remember him a wonderful man.

From (1968)being the nicest neighborhood man, to being with the fire dept. and throwing candy to all of us kids during Bronc Day parades, to being a "special helper" to Santa Claus, to helping at Ute Pass Elem. when my children were there, (1994-1996). He remembered us all even if he hadn't seen us in years. What an exception human being!! I will treasure all my memories of you Mr. Van Arsdale.

Friends like you don't come along very often. You will be missed. We are stuck in Texas this year and will not be able to make it back.

Thanks for making my stay as Music Director at Church in the Wildwood such a memorable and fun experience. Every sunday after services Frank would shake our hands, complement the choir, and have a nice statement for my two young sons. He was a true gentleman to his family, and to everyone he came into contact with. I saw Frank last March after not seeing him for several years, and he immediately came up to say hello and ask how my family was. He was a class act.
Paul and Kammi and John and Erik Eckhoff