Melvin J. Van Zanten

Melvin Jacob Van Zanten, 96, of Artesia, CA formerly of Garden Grove, CA, died Sunday, September 4, 2022, at Artesia Christian Home where he has been a resident since June of 2021. Melvin was the last living child of the Cornelius and Kate Van Zanten family.  

Burial will be at the Riverside National Cemetery on Thursday, September 15, 2022 at 11:15 am. He will be laid to rest with full military honors.

Melvin was born December 6, 1925 to parents Cornelius and Kate (Paauw) Van Zanten in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he spent his first four years.  The family then returned to Colton, South Dakota, to resume farming, only to experience the dust bowl of the ‘30’s. 

In 1945, during World War II, Melvin was inducted into the army.  After training in Texas, he was stationed in Iran and Egypt.  Upon completion of military duty, Mel attended the Milwaukee School of Engineering.  Reports of good job opportunities lured him to the Golden State of California.  He arrived in California in 1955 and worked for Autonetics, a Division of North American Aviation, in Downey. 

Melvin married Janet Kuiper in Wisconsin in 1960, settled in Garden Grove, and faithfully attended the Anaheim Christian Reformed Church for 62 years. Mel worked in engineering for Ford Motor Company, Rockwell, and Hughes Aircraft.  

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife of 62 years, Janet, of Artesia, many nieces and nephews and their families, as well as many other friends.  

He was preceded in death by his parents, and all of his siblings, Jeanette, Dewey (Gladys), J.W. (Barb), Alice (Walt) Burgers, Nellie (John) Burgers and Pierre. 

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