John Neil "Johnny" Van Dusen, age 82, passed away peacefully with his family by his side at his home in Klamath, CA, on May 28th after a long battle with cancer.
A life-long Del Norte County businessman, Johnny was born in Ashland, Oregon in 1940. When John was six his family moved to Klamath where they owned a dairy farm on Requa Road. After graduating from Del Norte High in 1958, John worked in the lumber industry, for Del Norte Box and Simpson Lumber, before owning and operating Van Dusen Lath Products. He was a member of the Elks Club and served on the Del Norte County Fair Board. John was a passionate competitor, first on area race tracks in a stock car and later in logging shows all over Northern California and Southern Oregon, as a Hot Saw competitor and organizer. He also enjoyed abalone diving with friends in his youth. John was a loving and dependable father to his four children and enjoyed spending time with friends and family, and working in his shop or around his home. He was actually quite the skilled carpenter and was very adamant about "getting things level" with his collection of MANY levels. He had a soft spot for pets and he, with his wife, Jeanette, enjoyed spending much of their time raising llamas and cows at their home on Requa Hill, providing years of entertainment and great memories for the children in the family.
John will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 21 years, Jeanette (Souza) Van Dusen of Klamath, daughters, Julie Bergren, of Crescent City and Marie Reed (Robert), of Austin, TX, sister Jessie Thomas, of Brookings, 8 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild, numerous nieces and nephews, and his lifelong friends: Robby Melvin, of Klamath and Bob and Ronna Hovis, of Arkansas.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Wayne and Faith Van Dusen, children Dorothy Gregory Shields and Robert Van Dusen, sister, Bobbie Garrett, and niece, Virginia Garrett Andresen.