Services for Mr. Melvin A. Vandermeer
Visitation: 3 to 8 PM Sunday, August 26, 2007 Hall of Excellence at Center Grove High School, 2717 S. Morgantown Road.
Funeral: 11 AM Monday, August 27, 2007 Center Grove Presbyterian Church, 2340 State Road 135.
Burial: Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, 1977 S. State Road 135 in Greenwood
Memorial contributions: The Vandy and Margaret Scholarship Fund in care of the Center Grove Scholarship Foundation.

Front page story in The Daily Journal "Former principal lived rich, full life" by Joseph S. Pete jpete@thejournalnet.com
Well written, quotes from Mr. Clements, Carol Tumey, Steve Sutton, Steve Witty, Joe DiPietro and Vandys Kids blog comments "Vandy influenced a generation of CG graduates with his humor, compassion".
Many Center Grove High School graduates likely remember principal Melvin Vandermeer addresing an assembly by saying, "People, do I need to be a policeman?" Vandermeer, 89, who spent 38 years in education before retiring in 1978, died Thursday. Friends and colleagues said Vandermeer, for whom Center Grove's gymnasium is named, ensured the school stayed a close-knit community while it doubled in size during his tenure in the 1960's and 1970's. "Families, generations passed through that high school under him," retired Center Grove athletics director John Clements said. "He was always well-known and well-liked. No one ever had anything negative to say about him".
Two direct quotes from Class of 1965:
Steve Witty, a 1965 Center Grove graduate who later coached Ben Davis High School to two state championships, said Vandermeer was a father figure who helped instill in him a drive to succeed. Witty once ended up in Vandermeer's office. He was asked if he realized that life would be easier later on if he worked harder now. The advice stayed with him, Witty said.
Steve Sutton, Center Grove's Class of 1965 president, said Vandermeer had a lasting influence on many students by serving as a role model with his honesty and fairness. Students knew they could trust his judgment even if they didn't always agree with his decisions, Sutton said.
Mr. Clements said, " Vandermeer remained vital even late in life, eating out with friends, entertaining many visitors whose lives he touched and going on his yearly fishing trip to Canada as recently as three years ago." "Really, he lived to be 180, not 89", Carol Tumey said. "He got as much out of every moment as he could and lived a rich full life that shouldn't be forgotten.
Vandy Blog Quotes (in part)
"Hard to see what I'm typing through tears.... We'll all miss him... I'm grateful to have known him"
"Vandy's perfect fit was Margaret. Vandy was always friendly; Margaret was always very charming. Vandy had a wit. Margaret had a look. Vandy told me recently that there would never be another Margaret. Center Grove will never have another Vandy, either"

Hawkeye & Hotlips