1920
Bernard
2016
Bernard Arkel
January 8, 1920 — April 16, 2016
Bernie van Arkel
Bernie and his twin sister, Margaret, were born at the family home on Grove Street in Haddonfield in January of 1920. The youngest children of Dutch immigrants, Bernie developed a life-long love of gardening from working beside his father in the vegetable garden.
After graduating from high school in Haddonfield, Bernie was given an opportunity to spend a post-graduate year at Westtown in 1937-38. That year helped him imagine a bigger future for himself, taught him how to work to create that future, and encouraged him to live his values. From chemistry experiments with the Colonel to dorm conversations with Lou Flaccus, he developed the curiosity, confidence and moral center that were hallmarks of his life.
During World War II, Bernie served as a navigator on a B-29 stationed on Guam in the Pacific. His flight crew contributed to understanding the use of the jet stream as a means of saving fuel on long flights. While he earned both an air medal and distinguished flying cross, the war had a profound impact on him, and he was most proud of the relief missions his crew flew after the war had ended.
After earning a degree in engineering from Haverford College, Bernie worked in the wire and cable industry, moving from research and development to sales to CEO before retiring in 1977. Working with color compounds for electrical insulation, he especially enjoyed the challenge of designing the R & D labs to help fine tune a product to solve a problem a company was having. In 1970, he was given the opportunity to travel to the Soviet Union with a group of business leaders.
Bernie and his wife Nancy raised three daughters, along with goats, chickens, horses, vegetables and grandchildren, during a very happy fifty years of marriage. Their home was filled with children, shrieking in the pool or racing to find the smallest or largest potato while Bernie dug with the pitchfork, or being tucked into bed for an overnight with Oma and Opa. Bernie shared his love of woodworking with each of his grandchildren, working in the shop together as he had done with his father. Summer vacations were often spent sailing for weeks at a time in the Chesapeake, and in later life, winters were spent fishing and boating on Man-o-war in the Bahamas.
After Nancy's death in 1994, a sweet condolence letter from his Westtown classmate, Esther Duke Pruett, led to an unexpected and wonderful ten year relationship and marriage.
In addition to his daughters, Gretchen Jacoski and Nancy van Arkel, sons in law, six grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren, Bernie leaves behind his dear companion, Nancy Donaldson. A memorial meeting in the manner of Friends will be held on May 21 at 11 AM in the auditorium at White Horse Village. All are welcome. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the van Arkel Scholarship Fund, Westtown School, 975 Westtown Road, West Chester, PA 19382.
Bernie and his twin sister, Margaret, were born at the family home on Grove Street in Haddonfield in January of 1920. The youngest children of Dutch immigrants, Bernie developed a life-long love of gardening from working beside his father in the vegetable garden.
After graduating from high school in Haddonfield, Bernie was given an opportunity to spend a post-graduate year at Westtown in 1937-38. That year helped him imagine a bigger future for himself, taught him how to work to create that future, and encouraged him to live his values. From chemistry experiments with the Colonel to dorm conversations with Lou Flaccus, he developed the curiosity, confidence and moral center that were hallmarks of his life.
During World War II, Bernie served as a navigator on a B-29 stationed on Guam in the Pacific. His flight crew contributed to understanding the use of the jet stream as a means of saving fuel on long flights. While he earned both an air medal and distinguished flying cross, the war had a profound impact on him, and he was most proud of the relief missions his crew flew after the war had ended.
After earning a degree in engineering from Haverford College, Bernie worked in the wire and cable industry, moving from research and development to sales to CEO before retiring in 1977. Working with color compounds for electrical insulation, he especially enjoyed the challenge of designing the R & D labs to help fine tune a product to solve a problem a company was having. In 1970, he was given the opportunity to travel to the Soviet Union with a group of business leaders.
Bernie and his wife Nancy raised three daughters, along with goats, chickens, horses, vegetables and grandchildren, during a very happy fifty years of marriage. Their home was filled with children, shrieking in the pool or racing to find the smallest or largest potato while Bernie dug with the pitchfork, or being tucked into bed for an overnight with Oma and Opa. Bernie shared his love of woodworking with each of his grandchildren, working in the shop together as he had done with his father. Summer vacations were often spent sailing for weeks at a time in the Chesapeake, and in later life, winters were spent fishing and boating on Man-o-war in the Bahamas.
After Nancy's death in 1994, a sweet condolence letter from his Westtown classmate, Esther Duke Pruett, led to an unexpected and wonderful ten year relationship and marriage.
In addition to his daughters, Gretchen Jacoski and Nancy van Arkel, sons in law, six grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren, Bernie leaves behind his dear companion, Nancy Donaldson. A memorial meeting in the manner of Friends will be held on May 21 at 11 AM in the auditorium at White Horse Village. All are welcome. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the van Arkel Scholarship Fund, Westtown School, 975 Westtown Road, West Chester, PA 19382.
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