Lenard Van De Graaf

Lenard Van de Graaf passed away suddenly at age 89 from a heart attack Saturday, May 4, 2019 at Crescent Care Center in Yakima. Lenard was born April 3, 1930 to Dick, Sr. and Sarah Van de Graaf in their home in Outlook, WA. Lenard’s parents emigrated from Holland in 1918 and farmed in White Swan where Lenard also attended school. He served in the Army from 1953-1955 and was stationed in El Paso, Texas and Germany. On December 12, 1956 he married Margaret Affholter. He and his brother Willie had married sisters, Margaret and Erma Affholter. Lenard and Margaret were blessed with twin daughters, Lori and Linda, on August 19, 1958. He was a wonderful father and VERY protective of the twins. After selling their farm in White Swan, the family relocated to Sunnyside, Moxee, and later Yakima where he operated a trucking business hauling shavings to cattle feedlots around the valley. In the late 1960’s, Lenard was diagnosed with Hodgkins Disease (cancer). He was treated with radiation only at that time at Swedish Hospital in Seattle. It returned 2 times. God healed him and he overcame!!! At that time he accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. In his younger days Lenard enjoyed hunting with his 2 brothers, Willie and Dick. They trapped bobcats and have quite a few crazy stories to tell of all their hunting adventures. He also enjoyed ice skating and playing hockey with his brothers on Charlie’s Pond near White Swan. As the twins grew, Lenard had a new hunting partner, his daughter Lori. He would carry her around the woods when she was little and they spent many hours scouting, deer and elk hunting and scouring the mountains pretty much every weekend! One memory Lori has was grouse hunting on the Honda 90 trail bike. Lenard put a boat cushion on the back and away they went! She would be the bird dog and carry the grouse home on the back of the Honda. She also packed out many of his deer. Their arrangement was he dresses them out and Lori drags them out! They continued deer hunting together until Lenard was in his early 80’s! Linda remembers him so busy scouting that he almost drove off the cliff above Mud Lake, so she thought! The love of Lenard’s life, besides his family, was deer hunting! He even kept a notebook and logged the animals he would see on his scouting trips. After retirement he enjoyed scouting the Ellensburg Canyon every Tuesday morning. His red Toyota pick-up was known to many, especially on Mt. Clemans. He got his deer almost every year he hunted and several elk, too and could still tell you the area and year. He insisted they hang his trophy deer head at Crescent Care Center! They chuckled and honored his request. Lenard also enjoyed camping, steelhead fishing on the Klickitat, and sports. He would often have the TV and radio on at the same time to hear the scores. He got very upset when the Mariners lost! He read the paper from beginning to end daily until recently and his daily devotion. He also enjoyed yearly trips to Seaside, OR. Lenard liked being by himself but loved his family dearly! He was an honest and good man who lived a simple life. Lenard never had any sons, but had a wonderful nephew, Billy Van de Graaf, whom he loved dearly. They spent many years of hunting together on Mt. Clemans. EVERY hunting season they would fill their tags! They both had eagle eyes and were quite the team! Billy brought Lenard so much joy and Lenard cherished their times together. Lenard lived independently until 2016. He moved in with his daughter and son-in-law, Linda and Rod Mutch, for 5 months to care for him. He then moved to Brookdale Chesterly Assisted Living and recently to Crescent Care Center for full time nursing care. Linda took on the role of care taking and spent many hours sitting with him and trying to help him in every way. She devoted a lot of her time out of her busy life to help her dad and meet his needs. Lenard is survived by his twin daughters, Lori (Jim) Ennis, and Linda (Rod) Mutch, all of Selah, 4 granddaughters: Lisa (Kyle) Martin of Selah, Kelly (Matt) Alexander of Yakima, Kimberly (Scott) Woodward of Moxee and Haley (Jeremy) Sogge of Medical Lake; 9 great grandchildren: Isaiah, Naomi, Jaiden, Logan, MaKenna, Kole, Madden, Ruby, and Charlotte; 2 brothers: Dick (Maxine) Van de Graaf of Sunnyside and Willie (Carolyn) Van de Graaf of Yakima; 1 sister Lydia Lommers of Kennewick and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dick, Sr. and Sarah Van de Graaf , his sister Barbara Mosier, brother-in-law Darrell Mosier, sister-in-law Erma Van de Graaf, brother-in-law Charlie Lommers and his wife of 28 years, Frances Margaret Parsley. A Celebration of Lenard’s life will be held on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at Stone Church (3303 Englewood Ave., Yakima). To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Lenard Van De Graaf, please visit our flower store.