SERVICE
Hill & Son Funeral Home
Appleton City, Missouri
Saturday, May 5, 2007
10:30 a.m.

MINISTER
Reverend Rob Barringer

VISITATION
Hill & Son Funeral Home
Appleton City, Missouri
Friday, May 4, 2007
7:00 – 8:00 p.m.

MILITARY GRAVESIDE SERVICE
Clinton VFW Post #1894

INTERMENT
Appleton City Cemetery
Appleton City, Missouri

MEMORIALS
Ellett Memorial Hospital or
Trinity United Methodist Church

Martin Van Waite, Jr. was born May 2, 1920 to Alice (Brooks) and Martin Van Waite, Sr. in Bay, Arkansas. He passed away May 2, 2007 at Ellett Memorial Hospital in Appleton City, Missouri on his 87th birthday.
Van was the youngest of seven children, losing his mother at the age of four. He lived in Arkansas, Chicago, Illinois and St. Clair County, Missouri during his younger years.
Van was united in marriage to Ruth Iva Tandy January 4, 1943 in Osceola, Missouri. Ruth was the love of his life and they recently celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary.
From January of 1943 to December of 1945 Van served in the United States Army in Europe during World War II where he was seriously wounded in the Battle of the Bulge, receiving a Purple Heart and various other medals. After recuperating from his injury, he was in charge of the athletic program in his outfit. His love of sports, especially baseball, started at a very early age, partly due to his dad and two older brothers. Van also loved bowling and golf.
Van and Ruth raised their four daughters in the rural Mt. Zion Community east of Rockville, Missouri where they owned and operated a dairy farm and later beef cattle. In 1973 Ruth and Van moved to Appleton City where he did tractor and lawn work for many years. Van accepted Christ and was baptized as a young man at Mt. Zion Methodist Church. In recent years he was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Appleton City where he was faithful in attendance until his health failed. Van's priority was love for God and family.
Preceding Van in death were his parents, two brothers, Coy and "Pete"; four sisters, Monta Black, Notra Smith, Lillie Baumgarden and Mabel Waite who died as an infant. Survivors include Ruth of their home in Appleton City, Sandra and Bill Long of Appleton City, Betty and Gerald Stephan of rural Montrose, Missouri, Linda "Skip" and Jack Mead of Nevada, Missouri and Debbie and Dean Walker of Nevada, Missouri; grandchildren include: Jeff Long and wife Katie, Mark Long and wife Misty all of Appleton City, Doug Mead and wife Jennifer of Jefferson City, Missouri, Darren Mead and wife Amy of El Dorado Springs, Missouri, Matt Stephan and wife Jessica of rural Montrose, Missouri, Erin Stephan of Appleton City, Adam Walker and wife Alisha, and Emily and Ben Walker all of Nevada, Missouri; great-grandchildren are Jenna, Kyle and Peyton Long, Jarrett Long, Katie and Kylie Mead, Gracie Mead, Coy Stephan and Graham Walker; two sisters-in-law, Nina Waite of Appleton City and Opal Lovewell of Osceola, Missouri.