Obituary

Donald Richard Vredeveld, 90, of Charleston, passed away suddenly in Wytheville, VA on Friday, March 4, 2022, after a long illness.

Don was born on July 29,1931 in Muskegon, Michigan to the late Rens Henry and Irene Mae (Jensen) Vredeveld.

He attended Lehman High School, Canton, OH. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering from Michigan Tech University and his Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from the West Virginia College of Graduate Studies, which is now associated with Marshall University. While attending Michigan Tech, Don was a member of the Theta Tau Fraternity and the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honorary Society.

Don was employed by Union Carbide Chemical Company from 1953 to 1999 (46 years). He worked in the Coal Hydrogenation Pilot Plant at Institute, WV and the Chemicals R/D and Engineering Departments at the Technical Center in South Charleston, WV. Don was Manager of Chemical Engineering Technology when he retired in 1999.

He was a recognized authority on the Physical Properties of Chemical Substances. He was one of the founders of the Design Institute of Physical Property Research (DIPPR), which was and continues to be one of the largest joint Industrial/University research projects ever sponsored under the auspices of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). He developed the Vredeveld Equation, which is widely used throughout the Chemical Industry for calculating the thermal conductivity of liquid chemical mixtures.

Don was active within the Chemical Engineering Profession. He delivered technical papers and chaired sessions at meetings of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) and other technical organizations. He was a member of the Board of Industrial Advisors at several Universities including Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA; the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA; and the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) in Manchester, England. He was Chairman of the Research Consortium at UMIST in Manchester, England.

Don enjoyed and was active in the game of tennis. He was a member of the Charleston Tennis Club. He was President of the Charleston Area Tennis Association for over 20 years, a Director of the Charleston Public Courts Tournament, a member of the Board of Directors of the OhioValley Tennis Association (which includes Parts of Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia) and the Western Section of the United States Tennis Association (USTA). He served as President of the Ohio Valley Tennis Association from 1980 to 1982. He received the Jim Dent Award for the Most Outstanding Volunteer in Tennis within the Kanawha Valley on two different occasions.

Don loved music and enjoyed singing. He was a member of the choirs at Christ Church United Methodist and Ruffner Memorial Presbyterian Church. He sang in a Barbershop Quartette (The Chords of Last Resort) and served a term as President of the Charleston Chapter of the Barbershop Quartette Singers of America.

Don was an active member of the Charleston Baptist Temple, where he served as a member of the Diaconate Board and Board of Finance.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Robert H. Vredeveld of Chicago, Ill; his first wife, Mary Esther (Fike) Vredeveld; and his daughter, Jane Anne Vredeveld of Charleston, WV.

Don is survived by his wife, Mary Jane Vredeveld of Charleston, WV; his son, Bud (Leigh Ann) Vredeveld and their two children, Olivia and Elise of Beckley, WV; his sister, Janet (Jack) Lawrence and their two children, Brad and Kitty of Edwardsville, Ill; his step-daughter, Ashley (Adam) Patnoe and their two children, John and Lily of Charleston, WV; his step-daughter, Lesley (Jim) Withers and their two children, Max and Mary Paige of Le Claire, IA; and his step-son, Geoffrey (Stacy) Christian and their two children, Sam and Maggie of Charleston, WV

A celebration of Don’s Life will take place at the Charleston Baptist Temple 11a.m. Friday, March 18, 2022 with Dr. Jim Hewitt officiating. Visitation will be held 1 hour prior to the service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Don’s honor to the Charleston Baptist Temple, 209 Morris Street, Charleston, WV 25301.

Condolences may be sent to the family at: www.barlowbonsall.com.
Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home has been entrusted to handle the arrangements.