Albert Caldwell van Roden Jr., 92

September 29, 2020

Albert Caldwell van Roden Jr., 92, of York, PA died peacefully on September 29, 2020 at Fairmount Homes in Ephrata. Al, also known as Caldy, was born on February 7, 1928 in Bryn Mawr, PA. He was the son of Harriet (Peck) and Albert Caldwell van Roden Sr. He is predeceased by his two sisters, Harriet (Happy) van Roden Bright and Gail van Roden Kuehnle.

A graduate of Radnor High School, Al went on to serve two years in the U.S. navy before attending Lafayette College. He met his future wife and lifelong companion, Joanne Ward, while working as a summer lifeguard in Seaside Park, NJ. Following graduation from Lafayette, he and Joanne returned briefly to his hometown of Wayne, PA before moving to Plainfield, NJ where he worked for Johnson and Johnson. He moved to York, PA in 1959 to work for New York Wire Cloth. He spent the remainder of his life in York, a community he truly loved. He later served as President of Little Professor Bookstores, owned by Maple Press, before fulfilling his lifelong dream of starting his own business, Wellspring Gifts, alongside his wife, Joanne.

Al and Joanne were long time members of The First Presbyterian Church in York and The York Country Club. They spent considerable time in Seaside Park, NJ where they met and owned a house, as well as Hilton Head, SC where they enjoyed golfing and a strong community of friends. Al loved his life in the country surrounded by acres of fields, barns and meadows. He was an avid gardener and enjoyed hunting, fishing, tennis and golf. He was also an avid reader and admirer of the great philosophers, many of whom he was quick to quote in conversation. He greatly enjoyed discussing politics, religion and philosophy. Friends and family will forever cherish his sense of humor, intellect and love of the outdoors.

Al is survived by his wife of 69 years, Joanne Ward van Roden, three children and six grandchildren: Albert (Trip) Caldwell van Roden III, his wife, Maureen Aloisi, and Trip’s three children, Albert (Bret) Caldwell van Roden IV , Chadwick (Chad) Ward van Roden and his wife Liz Rapp van Roden, and Tyler William van Roden; Willette (Wendy) van Roden Parker, her husband Henry (Griff) Griffith Parker IV and their two children, Catherine Willette Parker and Henry (Hank) Griffith Parker V; and Anne Ward van Roden, her husband Joseph McCrary Hunter and their son, Banks Caldwell Hunter.

A Graveside service will be held at 2PM on June 14, 2021 at Valley Forge Memorial Gardens, 352 S Gulph Rd, King Of Prussia, PA 19406.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Al’s memory to the Salvation Army in York, 50 East King Street, York, PA 17401 or https://pa.salvationarmy.org/york/ or to a charity of your choosing.