Oren David Van Vacter, b. 1901
Oren Van Vacter was the second son of Isaac and Minnie (Covey) Van Vacter, born February 25, 1901, at Princeton, Missouri. We know that Isaac and his family were in Princeton the first few years of 1900. Margie, the youngest, was born in Princeton on September 6, 1909. The 1910 U.S. Census had Isaac and his family living in St. Joseph, Missouri. In June of 1910, Isaac was hospitalized and diagnosed with inoperable cancer of the bowels. Minnie had one of her brother-in-laws take the children back to Princeton in their wagon while Minnie stayed in St. Joseph with Isaac until he could be transported back to Princeton by train. On July 2, 1910, Isaac died in Princeton and is buried there at the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery.
Oren and his brothers helped their Mother Minnie earn money needed to live on after the death of their father. They lived for a while with one of Isaac's brothers, but found that arrangement incompatible. Minnie washed and ironed clothes to make a living. She raised a large garden in the summer, did a lot of canning to help sustain them during the winter months. The family managed to sustain a reasonable standard of living during most difficult times.
Although Oren had little formal education, he was an avid reader with a curious mind. Oren gained wisdom and survival skills at an early age. Oren and brother Oliver left Princeton in 1918 and went to work in a meat packing plant in St. Joseph, Missouri. They roomed with the family of Frank Parker where Oren met and fell in love with Frank's niece Vivian Juanita. They were married on June 8, 1919. The 1920 U.S. Census lists Oren and J. Van Vacter in St. Joseph, Missouri.
Oren and Vivian joined the Pattee Park Baptist Church of St. Joseph. Several of their children were certified on the Sunday School cradle roll. Oren did janitorial work for the church. He was a very good artist and did a painting of the Last Supper for the church.
When the depression hit Oren worked several janitorial jobs and always managed to make enough to feed and clothe the family. He was never out of work and the family, although very poor, never felt poor. There were always friends and relatives dropping by for a visit, and extra plates were put on the table. No on got up from the table hungry.
After the start of WWII Oren went to work for the U.S. Government at a plant, called the Sub-Depot, where K-rations and other items were boxed and shipped to the troops overseas. He began as an elevator operator, but was soon promoted because of the knowledge he acquired of the location and workings of the various departments. He became a supervisor, a position he held until the plant closed down after the end of the war. With all the service men returning home, jobs were hard to find. He soon found himself employed as a short order cook in a so-called waffle shop cafe. Oren worked at that until about 1950 when he went to work at the Missouri State Hospital. In late 1951 he moved to San Bernardino, California with Vivian and the three youngest children, Ruth, Juanita and Douglas.
In California he worked for the U.S. Government at Norton Air Force Base as a clerk in the supply department. He worked that position until his death in 1956.
Oren loved Southern California; the mountains, ocean and desert all fascinated him. It wasn't long after moving to California that he knew the names of plants, trees and wild flowers familiar to the area. He could name the various mountains of the San Bernardino mountain range and learned much of the history of the area.