Robert J. Van Wesep

Robert James Van Wesep was born on March 25th, 1930, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He passed away on April 14th, 2018. He was born the last of six children to Nicholas and Jessie Van Wesep. Robert grew up in Grand Rapids before joining the military as a young man. He worked as a telecommunication lineman for the United States military during the Korean War. He often said the thing he missed most during that time was his mother's cooking. After his tour of duty he returned to Grand Rapids where he worked for his father's construction company before eventually taking over the business himself. He was an exceptional builder, carpenter, and problem-solver. He met the love of his life, Emma Diaz, in 1973. He was undaunted by her three children, father, and dog she came with. Rather, he embraced this little immigrant family as his own. Robert married Emma in Horeseheads, New York one year later on September 7th, 1974. "I won the lottery when I married this woman," he was known to say with a smile. Carlos, George, and Katheryn took his last name, and they became the Van Wesep family. From New York the new family moved to Houston for five years before moving to Clewiston, Florida, where Robert and Emma purchased a motel and became small business owners. They later sold the motel, and bought a mobile home park before settling in Port St. Lucie. Robert was known for the love he had for his family, often claiming to have the best in the world. His good-natured spirit and blue-eyed smiles led his family through times both difficult and good. He is survived by his wife, Emma Van Wesep, and his children; his son, Carlos Van Wesep and his daughter, Katheryn Bouza, and their spouses, Nancy Van Wesep and Alberto Bouza, respectively; one sister, Eleanor Medendorp; seven grandchildren, Anthony, Nicholas, and Erik Duke, and Blake, Olivia, Rebecca, and Benjamin Bouza; and one great-grandchild, Atlas Duke.