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Elmer C. Vreeland, Jr. ’48 No. 16610 20 Oct 1925 – 26 Aug 2005 Died in Newburyport, MA Inurned in the Columbarium at West Point Post Cemetery, West Point, NY Elmer Cornelius “Bud” Vreeland, Jr. was born 20 Oct 1925 in Passaic, NJ, the only child of Elmer Cornelius Vreeland, Sr. and Dorothy Bogert Vreeland. Bud was a bright, athletic young man with an electric smile and a personality to match. He was raised in Maywood, NJ, and attended Maywood Junior High School, where he received the American Legion Award for outstanding citizenship. He continued to excel in Bogota High School, where he was elected president of his senior class in 1943, captain of the football team, and selected as a member of the National Honor Society. He was also voted “most handsome,” “best dressed,” and “peppiest” by his classmates. Bud was greatly influenced by his parents’ patriotic service. His father was a veteran of World War I, and during World War II he was an air raid warden. His mother was a volunteer driver for the American Red Cross during World War II. In the summer of 1942, Bud worked as a “hasher” in the dining hall at West Point. He was impressed by the dedicated, structured lifestyle, and this summer job reconfirmed his desire to attend the Military Academy. After graduating from high school, Bud attended the “School of Ten” in New York City in preparation for entering West Point with the Class of 1947, but the three-year curriculum reverted to four years when the war was over. Bud entered West Point with his usual energy and enthusiasm and participated in boxing and track. He was also an active member of the ski and fishing clubs. After graduation on 8 Jun 1948, Bud attended the Ground General School at Ft. Riley, KS, and then the Field Artillery School at Ft. Sill, OK. In the time between these two schools, he married Jane Vreeland and began a loving marriage. After Field Artillery School, Bud was assigned to 74th AFA Battalion, Landshut, Germany, where daughter Linda Sue was born. Upon completion of a very successful assignment in Germany, he was reassigned to school troops at Ft. Sill, OK. In January 1954, deciding he would rather spend time with his family, Bud resigned from active service. He joined the family “gray iron” business, North Jersey Foundry, where he worked from 1954 to 1985 as partner and vice president. In 1981, the foundry was presented the Westinghouse Vendors Performance Award. Bud was a strong leader and greatly respected by all employees of the firm. His hands-on approach to management gained him a personal rapport with the workers, but when heavy union bargaining was needed, there was no one stronger on the management side. In 1956, the family welcomed the joyful addition of son John Hopper. Bud extensively used his family membership in the Montclair Ski Club at Mad River, VT. He was an enthusiastic assistant scoutmaster for Troop 7, Ridgewood, NJ, and taught leadership, hiking, and camping survival skills. He especially enjoyed exploring Harriman State Park and the upper palisades near West Point. Bud was an avid reader of biography and history, and he was proud of his Dutch ancestors, among whom were some of the original settlers of New Amsterdam. He was a member of the Holland Society of New York. On the lighter side, he was fun-loving, gregarious, and was an active member of the Charter Club, a social club in Patterson, NJ. Although an Army man to the end, he took to the sea with the purchase of his Pearson Commander sailboat named “Off Duty,” in which he sailed with family and friends in Long Island Sound, Mamaroneck, NY. Bud was a spiritual man. When he and Jane retired to Cape Cod in 1985, he served as an elder in the West Side Presbyterian Church in Ridgewood, NJ. At the Cape, he rekindled his interest in the outdoors, enjoying hiking, tennis, fishing, boating, and riding the waves. His favorite activity was spending time with his four grandchildren at Nauset and Skaket beaches and introducing them to fishing. Sadly, Jane died of cancer in June 1994. Bud met Rita Buckingham at a tennis club on the Cape. They were married 9 Sep 1995 which was followed by ten years of a happy, loving marriage. Bud’s love of travel took them to Italy, Ireland, Holland, England, and Sicily, creating many pleasant memories. They continued to live on the Cape until resettling in Newburyport, MA. In this marriage, Bud gained four stepchildren and 11 step grandchildren, whom he embraced as his own, and they, in turn, adored him. When diagnosed with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, Bud dealt with his illness as he handled other challenges throughout his life, with courage, strength, and dignity. He was always more concerned with others than with himself. Bud brought great honor to his family, West Point, and his friends. Well done. - Wife, children, and classmate, Jim McCray

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