Warren P. Van Fossen Sr. – September 21, 2022

Warren P. Van Fossen Sr., 93, of Strasburg passed away on Wednesday, September 21, 2022. Born on January 3, 1929, he was the seventh of nine children born to Delbert E. and Mary J. (Morhardt) Van Fossen. He grew up on the family farm located on Strasburg-Bolivar Road. As a child along with his brothers and sisters, he attended the one-room Hartline School.

As a teenager, he loved to go roller skating at Columbia Skating Rink, and there he met the love of his life, Mary Lou Hess, whom he married on August 29, 1946, and with whom he shared 72 years of marriage before her passing on November 26, 2018. A devoted husband, father, grandpa, great-grandpa, brother, uncle, and friend to all, he will be remembered for his incredible work ethic. In his youth, he worked for the Garber Lumber Company. Later he worked as a custodian and bus driver for Strasburg Schools and in the summers with Red Malcuit, Inc. In his “spare” time he farmed and raised beef cattle. He retired as director of maintenance for the Dover School system. An avid sports fan, he enjoyed following the Cleveland Guardians and Browns.

He was a member of the former St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Strasburg and later St. Joseph’s, Dover, and its Senior Citizens organization.

In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by his brothers, Eugene (Loretta), Willis (Ruth), Deb (Cora), and Bobby Van Fossen; sisters, Kate (Wilmer) Kaderly, Vivian (Robert) Kurtzman, Lillian (Lyle) Tope, and Carol Van Fossen.

He will be sadly missed by his son, Warren P. (Rock) VanFossen, Jr., and daughter-in-law, Susie; daughter Kay Edwards; grandchildren Ty (Nathalie) Van Fossen, Jamie (Kevin) Coston, Rob (Karen) Edwards, Chris (Jessica) Edwards and his nine great-grandchildren Mason, Micah, Londyn, Breea, Madeline, Parker, Alaina, C.J. and Coleton; sister and brothers-in-law, Gerry LaCroix, Susie Zifer, Jackie Pritchard, Patricia, and Ray Halter, Doris and Dick Dotts, Barb Richter, George, and Barbara Hess and many loving nieces and nephews.

The family will be greeting friends on Monday, September 26th from 5-7 pm in the Toland-Herzig Funeral Home & Crematory, Dover. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Father Jimmy Hatfield at St. Joseph Catholic Church on Tuesday, September 27th starting at 10:30 am, followed by burial beside his beloved wife at St. Aloysius Cemetery, Strasburg.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to St. Joseph Catholic Church, Dover.