VAN DORPE, Adrian E. At 91 years, of Marblehead, passed peacefully, Feb. 22nd, 2021. Born on Dec. 30, 1929 & raised in Marshall, MN by his parents, the late Prudent and Madelyn (Coequyt) Van Dorpe. Beloved & devoted husband of 31 years to Katherine "Katie" (Errera) VanDorpe.
Proud father of Shauna Pieniazek & her husband Matthew of Newburyport, Bryan & his wife Sue of South Boston, Mark & his wife Rosemary of Harvard, MA, Paul & his wife Jill of Fairfield, CT and Peter & his wife Lisa of Wakefield. His nine grandchildren always made him smile: Madelyn, Rory, Peyton, Jack, Megan, Ian, Nathan, Brendan, Morgan & his great granddaughter, Mya. Also lovingly survived by his devoted sister Nadine Taylor & her husband Greg of Marshall, MN. He was predeceased in 1985 by the mother of his children, Dorothea (McGrann) Van Dorpe.
After spending several years living in Seattle during World War II, the family returned to Marshall, MN. Adrian graduated from Marshall High School where he was editor of the school newspaper & an Eagle Scout. He received his Bachelor's degree in Journalism from St. Thomas University in St. Paul, MN, and his Master's degree from the University of Minnesota. He spent a year in Austria at the University of Vienna's journalism school & worked that summer on his relative's orchard in Meigem, Belgium. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War. He started his career with General Electric in Schenectady, NY & then moved to its Lynn location, before working at Raytheon in Lexington. He next spent over 25 years at Polaroid Corporation in Cambridge, retiring in 1989 as the Director of International Industrial Marketing where he received numerous awards for his creative campaigns, including a Clio. He traveled the world for Polaroid and loved it. Adrian moved to Marblehead in 1961, where he raised his family and was an active member of many organizations, including Star of the Sea Parish Council in Marblehead. Adrian was President of the Rotary Club of Marblehead Harbor and was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow. He very much enjoyed being a coach for youth sports as he watched his children & their friends become young adults. Adrian also enjoyed spending holidays & vacations with family & friends at Eastman, the family's New Hampshire home.
Family & friends are invited to attend a Visitation on Thursday, Feb. 25th beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the Eustis & Cornell Funeral Home, 142 Elm St., MARBLEHEAD & followed with a Funeral Mass to be celebrated in Our Lady - Star of the Sea Church, 85 Atlantic Ave., Marblehead at 11:00 a.m. Interment at Waterside Cemetery, Marblehead will be held privately.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, masks must be worn at all times in the funeral & the church & social distancing maintained. Temperatures will be checked prior to entering the funeral home & church and contact information must be provided for contact tracing.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the New England Center and Home for Veterans, Advancement Office, P.O. Box 845257, Boston, MA 02284-5257 or via website below;
DONATIONS
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18