Kevin Van Wagenen, loving husband and father, passed away on Sunday, February 23, 2025.  He was 68 years old.  He is survived by his wife of almost 32 years, Tina Van Wagenen, daughter Alexandria Van Wagenen, son Peyton Van Wagenen, sister Roxanne Gordon (Paul Gordon), and several extended relatives.

Our Merciful Lord, Jesus Christ, gave Kevin the miraculous gift of another three months on earth with us after his 1st heart attack in November 2024.  After the open-heart surgery, Kevin, who was already an incredible person, became a changed man in many ways.  He joked but with a serious undertone, that God had to bust his heart open, to wake him up so that he could understand what was most important – his eternal life.  He was so grateful to God for this precious gift that he cried in gratitude.  Kevin now saw things in a whole new way.  He was able to honestly take a look at himself on the inside regarding what he had done/not done in life with how he treated others and then he took action to make amends.  He had no animosity towards anyone, he made it a point to apologize to those that he had hurt, and he began to pray and worship God like never before.  He remarked that he was "learning so much, just learning so much" the day that he died.  One of his many prayers to God was that he wanted God to use him.  He would pray "Please use me".   Kevin was taken home much sooner than anyone expected.  God is using him for His glory.

After a long career in the shipping industry with Chantal Cookware, Kevin retired and enjoyed his hobby job of working at the Range.  Kevin loved to grill and smoke meats – often watching videos and trying new recipes.  He was a Knights of Columbus 4th degree knight and enjoyed participating in many ministries -- fish fries, car riders, etc.  He loved our family pets.  He was a sports enthusiast – hockey, football, basketball, baseball, you name it.  He loved poking fun with his family, especially when his team won and theirs didn't.

To Kevin, his family was everything to him.  He took care of them.  It wasn't beneath Kevin to do household chores.  Indeed, he sacrificed a lot for his family.  He was a great role model -- work ethic, punctuality, commitment and loyalty.  He never wavered.  He taught his kids to be respectful and told them he'd rather see them fail at something, then give up.   He was often the gentle, steady voice of reason even when things weren't going well.  He was the first call  you could count on to soothe the situation.  He was the best friend.  He always listened and gave everyone a fair chance.  No matter what.

You will be missed so much...

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Heart Association or a charity of your choice.