Albert Dorn

Although he was small in stature, Albert Dorn was a man who was hard to miss since his great amounts of integrity and spirit of compassion were traits that drew others near. He knew what it meant to work hard from an early age and how to truly sacrifice for others. Part of what made Al such a remarkable man was his abiding faith that accompanied his every thought, word, and deed, even when life became more of a challenge for him. He was a dedicated family man through and through whose greatest joys in life were centered on the children and grandchildren who have now become part of the lasting legacy he leaves behind. The year 1941 is most often remembered as the year in which tensions were building overseas as WWII encompassed more and more nations, including the United States after the attack on our naval base in Pearl Harbor. This was a memorable year in the family of Albert and Anna (Peterson) Dorn since it was on October 20th of that year that they were pleased to announce the birth of their son, Albert William. Al was born in West Olive, Michigan, as the youngest of 12 children in his family including siblings Arnold, Oscar, Ed, Alfred, Marvin, Viola, Verna, Doris, Eve, and two other siblings who died as infants. His father worked at the tannery in Grand Haven and also had a tree farm. Their family actually lived on the tree farm located on what is now Stanton Corners on U.S. 31 in West Olive. The children were all responsible for helping with the farm chores, which included caring for some animals and tending to the seedling trees. Al attended the West Olive Chapel near where he lived. That church would eventually become the West Olive Christian Reformed Church the church he called home throughout his life. He attended West Olive Elementary School and played softball on the church league as a young boy. Al continued his education at Grand Haven High School, but was forced to leave school after the ninth grade became his father became ill and Al was needed on the farm. Like so many other young boys, he collected baseball cards, and he also collected 45 rpm records. Al loved music and with his extensive record collection, he and his niece Faith used to pretend they were DJs. Life was forever changed for Al one fateful evening when he was cruising 8th Street in Holland, which was the thing to do during the early sixties. That night he met a young gal named Patricia VanDyke who would forever change the course of his life. The couple dated for several years and was later married in the Pine Creek Christian Reformed Church parsonage on February 19, 1966, which also happened to be Pats birthday. The couple initially lived in downtown Holland but since they were not city people, after two years they purchased Pats parents home from them and lived there for five years. They then built a home in West Olive just around the corner from Pats parents with whom they shared a close relationship. Throughout his life, Al followed a rather diverse career path. When he was in his early twenties, he worked in the paint shop at Michigan Plastics for a few years. Al then worked at Bastian-Blessing and then at Harbor Industries where he worked in material handling. In 1995, he was diagnosed with leukemia the same week he was laid off from work. Al underwent chemotherapy treatments and collected unemployment for a short time, but he was determined to get back to work. He tried several different jobs before finding work as a security guard, but his health struggles didnt end with his fight with leukemia. Al also suffered from Parkinsons disease and eventually needed to quit driving, although his family still drove him to and from work. Over time, his health struggles became too much and Al was no longer able to keep working. No matter where he was working or what he was doing though, Al had a strong work ethic and a great group of friends who always made sure that he had the best job he could. Although his work was a vital part of his life, it paled in comparison to the fulfillment Al found in becoming a father. After years of trying to have children, Al and Pat adopted their son Paul in 1974. Then in 1978, Pat gave birth to their son Nathan. Al loved being a father and was very involved in the lives of his boys. He would hit baseballs with them and attend all of their sporting events through the years. Their family regularly took camping trips, sometimes to Iowa to visit relatives, other times to Newaygo, the Mackinac Bridge, or to Florida with a pop-up camper. These trips were always filled with interesting adventures and plenty of fun, too. When his boys were teenagers, they could be a bit of a handful at times. There were even a few events that just remained between Al and his sons! When he was able, there were a few interests that Al pursued. His faith remained an important part of his life, and he continued to attend services and sang in the choir. Al also arranged special music programs at his church and especially enjoyed listening to gospel quartets. He was a huge Detroit Tigers fan and continued to collect baseball cards as an adult. Unfortunately, his mother mistakenly threw out all of his valuable collectors cards from his childhood! As Als health diminished, his life became affected more and more. At first he stayed in his home where he and his mother-in-law looked out for each other. Al eventually needed to move into a nursing home and after trying several different facilities, he settled into Riverside Nursing Center in Grand Haven. He received excellent care there and was involved in many activities including playing bingo and attending church. Als family visited him daily and continued to take great care of him as well. Albert Dorn was a hard worker, a devoted family man, and a true gentleman. He made the most of the days he was given, even when they werent so easy. The memories Al leaves behind have become priceless treasures for those who loved him dearly. Albert W. Dorn died Thursday, March 11, 2010. Als family includes his wife, Patricia; sons, Paul (Amber) Dorn of Grand Haven, Nathan (Kelley) Dorn of Holland; grandchildren, Aurora, Tesla, Peter; brother, Alfred (Edith) Dorn of Muskegon; sisters, Doris (Jack) DeBruyn of Spring Lake, Eva (Keith) Gift of Grant; sisters-in-law, Arlene Dorn, Florence Dorn, Elaine Dorn; brother-in-law, Ernest Garbrect; many; nieces & nephews. Al was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Arnold, Oscar, Ed; sister, Verna Garbrecht. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 20, 2010, 11:00 a.m. at West Olive Christian Reformed Church with Pastor Scott DeVries officiating. Interment at Olive Township Cemetery. Visit with Als family and friends on Saturday, 9-1 p.m. at West Olive Christian Reformed Church. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a favorite memory or make a memorial contribution to LOVE Inc.-Grand Haven.