Major Peter John "Pete" Vander Vliet, 85, of Elkhart, passed away peacefully with his family at his side on Sunday, November 19, 2023 at 1:27 pm at Elkhart General Hospital following an extended illness.

He was born in Marion, Indiana on October 12, 1938 to the late Peter Jacob and Mary Virginia (Hills) Vander Vliet. On July 12, 1958 he married Barbara Marie Hendricks in Waterloo, Iowa. She survives at home after 65 wonderful years together.

Along with Barbara, Pete is survived by his son Jeffrey A. (Diane) Vander Vliet of Elkhart and daughter Lisa D. (Fred) Parcells of Haslett, MI; his sister Mary Jane Kincaid of Fairborn, OH; grandchildren Kelsey (Louis) Ranyard, Luke Vander Vliet, Anna Parcells and David Parcells, and great granddaughter Hallie Ranyard. He is also survived by a host of extended family and dear friends.  An infant son, Todd, and sisters Betty Poling, Marjorie Kraus and Virginia Russell all precede Peter in death.

In accordance with his wishes, Pete is to be cremated and a celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, December 2, 2023 at 1:00 pm at the Salvation Army, 300 N. Main Street, Elkhart. Billings Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Elkhart have been assisting the family with the arrangements.

Majors Peter and Barbara were both ordained Salvation Army Ministers. He was a 1960 graduate of Chicago's School for Officer's Training for the Salvation Army, an organization in which he spent the entirety of his adult life ministering to others. Having a relationship with his Lord made up the very foundation of his life. He spent many years transferring from location to location to follow the Army's ministry, always professing that he was ready for the next challenge.

Pete lived a life devoted to love, family and music. Music was a passion for Pete, and he was quite talented with his brass band instruments. He also had a fabulous singing voice, and he loved everything from barbershop quartets to Salvation Army Brass Bands.

Peter loved living near the water, as he had always seemed to wind up living next to it. Throughout his life, Pete enjoyed several waterside locales, but the favorite and most influential place was his parent's lake house at Long Lake in Portage, MI. That was the place where the whole family would congregate every summer for a season of boating and fun spent with the folks that he loved so dearly. The sound of games and laughter could be heard drifting across the water. Pete was eternally grateful for every minute God gave him.

All in all, Peter was a grateful man that dearly loved his wife, children and his grandchildren. Nothing made him happier than to have his family around him, and he was their biggest cheerleader throughout life.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the Salvation Army.

Elkhart Salvation Army
300 North Main Street, Elkhart IN 46516
Tel: 1-574-970-0088
Email: wmielkhart@usc.salvationarmy.org
Web: https://centralusa.salvationarmy.org/elkhart/