William "Bill" Verdonk

William Joseph “Bill” Verdonk of South Haven, World War II veteran, respected judge and attorney, beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, died Friday, April 13, 2012. He was 90.

Bill found joy in time spent with his family and the friends he gained through many years of service as a practicing attorney and a parishioner of St. Basil Catholic Church.

As a member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, he was proud of his country and his service in the United States Navy. He was an outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting, fishing and golfing.

Born in Dolton, IL on June 13, 1921 to William P. and Martina Verdonk, he moved with his family to South Haven in 1930 and graduated from South Haven High School in 1939.

He studied to become a doctor at the University of Notre Dame and Baylor University before joining the Navy in 1943.

Assigned initially to the Seabees, he later became a medical corpsman and served his country in Papua New Guinea and the Philippines.

After being honorably discharged in 1946, he returned to Baylor University and graduated a year later with a degree in Zoology and English and a minor in Chemistry.

During the summer of 1947, he met Dorothy Ann Harris. They were married January 24, 1948 in The Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Notre Dame. They spent 64 years togetheras husband and wife and raised two sons.

He graduated cum laude from Notre Dame Law School in 1950 and worked for State Farm Insurance in Cadillac, MI and later Marshall, MI.

After being encouraged by his brother in 1959 to open a private law practice, he resigned his position as Superintendent of Claims and returned to South Haven, where he lived the rest of his life.

He was elected Municipal Judge for the City of South Haven in 1963 and served in that capacity until 1969. He also worked as an attorney for South Haven Community Hospital and the City of South Haven, finally retiring after more than 40 years of practicing law.

Bill is survived by his wife, Dorothy, two sons, Christopher (Sylvia) Verdonk and Michael (Karen) Verdonk, five grandchildren, Jenna, Matthew, Jordan, Emily, and Edward Verdonk, and four great grandchildren, Connor, Ethan, Aidan and Elijah. He is also survived by two nephews, John (Lois) Verdonk and Bill Verdonk, two nieces, Mary Thompson and Margaret (Bruce) Moran, and their families.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, John Verdonk and his sister, Rita Verdonk.

Bill’s legacy of love, kindness and generosity will be missed by all who knew him.

Visitation will be held at the Filbrandt Family Funeral Home Friday, April 20 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m., with a Rosary beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday, April 21 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Basil Catholic Church.

Memorials may be made to the St. Basil Educational Endowment Fund or the St. Basil Renovation and Restoration Fund.

Kindly share your thoughts and memories on the family’s online guestbook at www.FilbrandtFFH.com.

The family is being helped by the Filbrandt Family Funeral Home of South Haven 637-0333.