John Charles Vander Horck

On Saturday June 13, 2020, John Charles Vander Horck was called home at the age of 77. While he enters the Kingdom of Heaven, the world has lost a great and loving husband, brother, father, grandfather, uncle, and leader.

John was born to Max Phillip Vander Horck and Doris May Schonnesen on March 25, 1943, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He and his family would later relocate to Long Beach, California. John attended St. Anthony’s High School where he played football. He would later transfer, and graduate from, Lakewood High School in 1961. Following high school, he attended Long Beach City College and joined the United States Naval Reserve. On July 18, 1962, he was activated to regular duty in the United States Naval Air and was assigned to the Guided Missile Division on the U.S.S. Ranger, C.V.A. 61. On June 25, 1964, John was released back to the Naval Reserves, at the Naval Air Station located in Los Alamitos, California.

John would later meet a young lady by the name of JoAnn Kurosaka Kobayashi at Alamitos Bay, in the summer of 1965. He would say, “She was then and continues to be the inspiration of my life.” They would marry two years later on July 14, 1967, at California Heights Methodist Church in Long Beach.

John returned to higher education and earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminology from California State University Long Beach, on December 31, 1973. He joined the Los Angeles Police Department on April 16, 1974 and worked his way up to the rank of Detective Sergeant. After patrol, he chose to remain in the Detective Division for over 27 years. Seventeen of those years involved the investigation of Divisional homicides. He said, he enjoyed the challenge, the excitement of the chase and the gratification of a successful resolution.

On March 14, 1995, he was initiated in Long Beach Lodge #327, Free and Accepted Masons of the State of California. He would serve as Master of that lodge in 2007. He also belonged to the Long Beach Scottish Rite, Long Beach York Rite, El Bekal Shrine, and the American Legion in California, Post No. 1000.

After retirement, John developed a passion for genealogy. As a result, he would travel all over the country and even to Europe while tracking down his ancestors. He managed to trace the direct Vander Horck lineage back to 1740 and other family ancestors to 1643. He compiled his findings in several books, each titled by the appropriate surname. In a note, written in one of his genealogy books, he wrote to his wife JoAnn, “I love JoAnn a great deal. She has been a wonderful wife and mother to our son Matthew. I can’t imagine my life without her. Thanks for always being there Jo.”

John is survived by his wife JoAnn; sisters Melinda McNeil, Michelle Mikuls, and Christine Sturkey; son Matthew; daughter-in-law, Kimberly; and grandsons Raiden and Marcus. He was predeceased by his parents Max Vander Horck and Doris Halka, and sisters Kathy Vermas, Sari Graff, and Mara McCarley.

John developed a great love and appreciation for family. This appreciation even extended beyond immediate family as he emotionally adopted several of his son’s friends who grew up in and around their home in Long Beach. He helped coach his son’s baseball and basketball teams and was active in all his son’s activities. This habit would later continue with his grandsons Raiden and Marcus, who affectionately referred to him as Papa. Whether you were directly related, extended family, friends from LAPD, masonic brothers, or merchants from the places he shopped, you were family. He was loved immensely and will be missed greatly.

Luyben Dilday Mortuary (562) 425-6401