In San Francisco, CA on October 8, 1939 as the sun was peeking through the clouds, James E. and Dora E. (Petersen) Van Valkenburg welcomed their second son, William Craigh Van Valkenburg. On September 11, 2014, the cloud opened to the heavens to receive him home after a five-year battle with cancer.

As with most military families, travel was extensive until finally settling in Mont Vernon, NH. After graduating in 1957 from Milford High School, Bill enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He enjoyed the year he spent cruising the Mediterranean Sea and visiting France and Italy and other ports. In July of 1961, he married Brenda Gangloff and together they raised two daughters mostly in Southern California. Bill and Brenda had just celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary.

Bill worked in the lawn and garden industry in both sales and service. In his spare time, he worked on his hobbies of model trains and woodworking, and also loved remodeling houses. One of his greater pleasures after his girls were raised was hosting Japanese, German and French exchange students, some staying as long as two years. They hosted 49 students through the years. His biggest pleasure in life was his two Irish Setters (“Red Dogs” as he called them). They were rescues, and quite a challenge. One pair had a litter of 17 and he had trouble parting with any of them!

Besides his parents, Bill was preceded in death by a brother, James E. Van Valkenburg, Jr. and by his step-sister, Lynne Morris Nielson, along with his step-mother, Geneva Morris Van Valkenburg.

Surviving him at home is his wife, Brenda, along with daughter Susan and her husband, Jim Wellington (which he always said was the son he never had) of East Liverpool, and daughter Linda Stracener of Bullhead City, AZ. Bill also leaves behind granddaughter Brianne Myers, grandson Daniel Hissom, granddaughter Emily Stracener, and great-grandchildren Madison, Bonnie and Mason Myers.

Also surviving is sister-in-law, Janet Van Valkenburg, step-sisters Mary Ellen Carmen and her husband, Nate; Kathy Zalocha and her husband, Stan; and many nieces and nephews. He will also be mostly sadly missed by his “Red Dogs”, Rusty and Clover.

Per Bill’s wishes, there will be no calling hours. He will be cremated and buried at the Mont Vernon Cemetery at a later date. A service for the family will be held at that time.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to Hospice of The Valley, 5190 Market Street, Youngstown, Ohio 44512, or to an animal rescue of choice.

Arrangements were handled by the Dawson Funeral Home in East Liverpool, OH.

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