William Purdue Van Scoyoc

On October 22nd, 2009, William Purdue Van Scoyoc passed away quietly at his residence at Home on the Rogue in Grants Pass, Oregon. His son, David and Kirk Sager, his primary caregiver, were at his side when he passed. Bill was 90 years old. He was born on July 10th, 1919 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. His parents were Benjamin and Jessie (Cooper) Van Scoyoc. He graduated with high honors from Johnstown High School in 1937 where he was a star basketball player. Bill married his high school sweetheart, Jane Louise Galbreath, in 1940. Louise passed away in 1999. They were together for over 60 years. Their son David was born in 1941. Shortly after, Bill served his country as a Navy Radioman Specialist in WWII in the Philippines on a Patrol Boat Tender. After the war, Bill worked for Pennsylvania Electric. The family moved to California in 1948. They soon settled in the San Fernando Valley. Bill was successful in the orange business for many years. He had a processing plant called HollyPak in Hollywood, California. He later ran another processing plant and owned some Orange Groves near Visalia, California. The family moved to Malibu Lake in Agoura, California in the 1950’s. Later they lived in Balboa and Costa Mesa, California where they had several businesses. In the 1970’s they owned the Dorymen CaféƒÂ© next to the Newport Pier. They also owned the Bazaar where they sold imported beads and Navajo Indian jewelry and blankets. Bill and Louise traveled to Arizona to buy directly from the Trading Posts on the Reservation. Later in the 1970s they had a shop in Costa Mesa and sold all sorts of shells, shell ornaments and collector’s shells. In the 1980’s they migrated to Rogue River where they lived at the old Three Oaks resort. Bill and Louise maintained a souvenir ceramic business, Van’s Crafts, at their home. They sold various nautical figurines, mostly mounted on drift wood they collected near Crescent City. Their gift items were sent to places all over the map from Japan to Maine. Bill continued the business after Louise passed away, until 2008, when he moved to Morrow Heights in Rogue River. In January of 2009 Bill moved to Home on Rogue under the foster care of Kirk and Joni Sager, in Grants Pass. Bill spent his last year enjoying the beautiful view of the Rogue River from the porch of his home and he also took some great drift boat rides through Grants Pass with Kirk at the oars. Bill loved travelling. With his wife Louise, he went to Cuba, Hawaii and all over the U.S. He even went to Canada, Yellowstone and Mt. Rushmore after Louise passed away, and later to the four corners area of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah. He discovered Geo-Caching in the 1980s and spent a lot of time with his son or by himself finding geo-caches with his GPS from the Oregon Coast to the Dakotas. With Louise, he enjoyed watching wildlife out their kitchen window at Three Oaks. They saw possums, skunks and foxes with babies, some nursing. They also saw, wild turkeys, ducks, a Peregrine Falcon, deer, ducks, a flying squirrel and evidence of bears, and multitude of birds, all in their backyard. Bill especially liked a tramp in the woods. He became quite familiar with many of the trails in Jackson, Josephine, and Klamath County as well as the coast. Bill leaves his younger sister Joan and her husband Clarence Sivits of Grants Pass, his son, David and Daughter-in-law, Valerie, of Dorris, California, and grandchildren, Matt and his wife Dana of Moab, Utah, Melissa and her husband Billy Schroeder of Miles City Montana, Julie and her husband Brian Barrett and their children Maggie and Logan of Fort Bragg, California and Sarah Jacobs of Portland, Oregon. He also leaves his special friend and caregiver, Kirk Sager who took such good care of Bill in his last year. Preceding Bill are his brothers Dick, Ned, Bob, Ben and Ronnie and sisters, Anne, and Mary Louise. Bill’s family and many friends from the Rogue River area will be invited to a memorial service at the graveside at Woodville Cemetery, Rogue River later in November. The time and date are to be announced. Cremation is by Stephens Family Chapel in Grants Pass. Instead of flowers, contributions may be made to LoveJoy Hospice of Grants Pass or the charity of your choice.