Obituaries
Remembering Larry Van Den Bossche
Chamber of Commerce member Larry Van Den Bossche lived a life dedicated to service.
Laurant (Larry) Felix Van Den Bossche, a lifetime member of the Monrovia Chamber of Commerce, died Wednesday, Aug. 3, from pancreatic cancer. He was 85.
Van Den Bossche was born on Feb. 28, 1926 in Chicago, Illinois to immigrant parents from Ghent, Belgium. He began his career as a B17 tail gunner in the Army Air Corps.
After military service he met and married his first wife, Yvonne. They raised their two children, Lauren and Rod, in California, where they both lived until her death in 1984.
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In 1986 Van Den Bossche married Caroline Colony.
Van Den Bossche worked as an engineer in the aerospace industry and eventually opened his own business, Alpha Engineering Consultant Service.
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Van Den Bossche received the 1997 Dick Lord Award from the Monrovia Chamber of Commerce, where he was an active member with Alpha Engineering. After retirement, Van Den Bossche still served as an individual member and was a member of the Ambassador Committee for the Monrovia Chamber. He was also a member of American Legion Post 790 and the Duarte Chamber and twice served as president of the American Society of Quality Control (ASQC).
Van Den Bossche was very active in the Duarte Elks, both as a trustee and chaplain, and he also volunteered with the 3rd grade Dictionary program.
"We were like brothers," said fellow Elk George Van Hove. "He will be sorely missed."
Van Den Bossche was also a past member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and served several times as president of the Aerojet Bowling Association. He was active in the COPD groups of Claremont and Covina.
In his spare time, Van Den Bossche enjoyed bowling, golfing, landscaping, and gardening. He also loved traveling abroad and throughout the U.S.
Van Den Bossche is predeceased by his first wife, Yvonne, and his daughter Lauren. He is survived by his son, Rod, and numerous family, friends and loved ones. To advance research of Pancreatic Cancer, Van Den Bossche and his family donated his body to the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to: City of Hope, Cancer of the Pancreas, Attention Gift Administration, 1500 E. Duarte Road, Duarte 91010.
A celebration of Larry Van Den Bossche’s life will be held on Sunday, Aug. 14, at 1 p.m. at the Duarte Elks Lodge, 2436 E. Huntington Drive, in Duarte.
