Abram DuBois Van Meter

A. D. Van Meter of Springfield, Illinois and Old Mission, Michigan died at 4:30 in the afternoon on Sunday, June 28, 2015, at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City, Michigan. “Van,” to most who knew him, was born on May 16, 1922 to A. D. and Edith (Graham) Van Meter. He married Margaret Schlipf on December 1, 1956. Van grew up on his family’s farm in Fancy Creek Township, Sangamon County. He rode his pony to a one room grade school and graduated two years early from Williamsville High School. He could not meet the physical requirements for military service but found a place to serve in World War I,I in the merchant marine. He graduated from King’s Point College in 1946 and Northwestern University Law School in 1948, and then returned to Springfield to practice law with his law school seat-mate and close friend, Robert Oxtoby, first as “Van Meter and Oxtoby” and later as “Van Meter, Oxtoby and Funk” from 1949 to 2001. In 1963 he moved from the active practice of law to the field of banking, serving as vice president, President, and Chairman of the original Illinois National Bank of Springfield until 1990 and thereafter, as a director of Midwest Financial Group, Inc. until 1993. As a banker he campaigned actively for the reform of Illinois’ banking laws to permit branch banks and cash machines. For all of his working life Van actively participated in the affairs of his community and state. Among many boards and commissions he served as a Chairman of the United Way planning committee, Director of Memorial Medical Center, Member of the first elected board chartered to study the construction of a Springfield Convention Center, Director of the Illinois Board of Investment (1968-72), Chairman of the State of Illinois’ National Bicentennial Commission (1975-76), Chairman of the Illinois Housing Development Authority (1977-2003), and Trustee or Chairman of the Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees (1989-2001). No assignment, no activity, no obligation ever superseded his family. He played the piano and organ, held a deep knowledge of classical music, appreciated modern architecture, read widely, loved tulips and geraniums, and enjoyed travel with his family. In his later years, he produced digital movies that are now a family treasure. From riding a pony to his one room grade school to producing digital movies, the arc of his life was change sustained by love. He was preceded in death by his parents, an older brother, Charlie, Carol Van Meter who died in childhood and an older sister, Dorthy Van Meter Sauers. He is survived by his wife Margaret; his brother-in-law, Logan H. Schlipf; a son, Andy, of Springfield; and daughters, Alice (husband, Matt) Wolfe, of Ladue, MI; and Ann Van Meter Mohn, of Northfield, IL; and four grandchildren: Matt and Will Wolfe, and Samantha and Libby Mohn. The family will visit with friends from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8, at Boardman Smith Funeral Home. Burial services will be private at Fancy Creek Cemetery. The family will hold a memorial service from 5 to 6 p.m. on Friday, July 31, at the Old Mission Congregational Church in Old Mission, Michigan.

Abram DuBois Van Meter

May 16, 1922 - June 28, 2015