James E. Van Vlerah

James Edward Van Vlerah, Sr. (AKA The Popcorn Man), age 91, of West Unity died on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 at his residence.

He was born June 29, 1933, to Edward Paul and Catherine Florence (Ackerman) Van Vlerah in Defiance, Ohio.

A graduate of Defiance High School, he served in the Navy aboard the USS Trathen during the Korean War. He was a member of Local 50 Plumbers and Pipefitters Union for 70 years and founded Van Vlerah Mechanical in Angola, Indiana. Jim served as president of the West Unity Friends of the Library and as a 10-year member of the Williams County Fair Board and a long-time member of the Williams County Fair Foundation. With his wife, Penny, he was often seen at area cruise-ins and other events selling his popcorn and caramel corn with Popcorn on Wheels. He loved working and being busy. 

In 1955 he married Donna Killion in Defiance and they later divorced. On March 18, 1989, he married Penny (Fancher) Filip and she survives. 

Also surviving are daughters Catherine (James) Leonard of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Donna Van Vlerah (Edward Bentley) of Arrowhead Lake, Indiana; stepdaughters Dr. Amy (Daniel) Raubenolt of Akron and Gaye Beckman of Denver; daughter-in-law Karen Van Vlerah of Angola, and brother-in-law Terry (Mary) Fancher of Findlay. 

Grandchildren surviving are Elizabeth Matthews, Abagail Van Vlerah, Cole and Carson Bentley, Kade and Kallie Raubenolt, Tyler Beckman and great-grandchildren Karen, John, Lucille, and James Matthews. Several nieces and nephews also survive. 

He was preceded by his parents, his son, James Jr., sisters and brothers-in-law Norma Jean and Lavon (Barney) Smith and Mary Lee and Jack Wiseman, and nieces, Peggy Lulfs and Kimberly Fancher. 

Graveside services will be held at Veterans Section of the Riverside Cemetery in Defiance at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. Military Honors will be presented by the Defiance VFW Post.

Memorial may be made to The West Unity Friends of the Library Building Fund, 109 S. High Street, West Unity, OH 43570 or CHP Hospice, 1215 S. Portland Street, Bryan, OH 43506.

Krill Funeral Home, Bryan, Ohio has been entrusted with the arrangements. 

The family lovingly wrote this obituary.