Curtis L. Vander Ven, 49, passed away on February 21st in Cape Canaveral, FL. He was born on August 4th, 1975, in Bryan, TX, and spent much of his youth traveling overseas as a military child before his family settled in O’Fallon, IL. He graduated from O’Fallon Township High School in 1993, making O’Fallon home for over 20 years-until called to begin anew on the Florida coast. The warm weather, friendly faces, and the non-stop fishing season were too inviting to resist, and Curtis became an unapologetic Floridian working at Port Canaveral’s Sunrise marina.
Curtis was always up for an adventure, whether that was exploring foreign countries or discovering new fishing holes. He was an avid fisherman who found peace and joy in nature, always happiest with a rod in hand. He was a beloved son, a dear brother, a fun-loving uncle, and a best friend to many. His presence, sense of humor, and kind smile will be sorely missed.
He is survived by his father, Deacon Dennis (Deborah) Vander Ven; his mother, Lavinia Uzzel; his twin brother, Kevin (Angela Pyles) Vander Ven; his brothers, Preston (April) Vander Ven, Scott (Kimberly) Vander Ven, Timothy (Maris) Naegele, and James (Beth) Naegele; his sisters, Lavinia Vander Ven and Kimberly Naegele; and 21 nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his older brother, Jeremy Vander Ven.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to the Catch a Dream organization (https://www.catchadream.org/tributes/memorial-gifts/) or the Florida Youth Conservation (https://wildlifeflorida.app.neoncrm.com/forms/19) honoring Curtis’ love for fishing and the great outdoors. Cash donations can be made during service times for the Caseyville Police Department’s Youth Fishing Derby. Services will be held at LifePoint Church in Collinsville, IL (Visitation at 1 pm & Memorial Service at 2pm).
