Bryan Vande Vrede

Bryan Vande Vrede, 49 of Belvidere, NJ and formerly of Pompton Plains, died on Thursday, October 6, 2022 after a valiant battle with cancer. He and his wife are the owners of Flowerland Growers in Belvidere, and Bryan is the former Mayor of White Township.

Bryan grew up in Pompton Plains and has always been a creative thinker. He had a natural head for business, and he was quite a salesman. In 2004, he started “Flowerland Growers” in Belvidere with his wife, and they’ve worked hard to build that together. If you knew Bryan, you know there was nothing complicated about him, he just loved helping people in every way he could. He taught his children to always have something to give. He also understood his civic responsibility, proudly serving on his town council before becoming Mayor of White Township in 2007. He loved his neighbors, he loved his friends, and he loved his family.

Bryan was especially grateful to the Lord for all of his many blessings. He loved his church family and had served as a Deacon and Elder with the Heritage Reformed Congregation in Kinnelon. He was raised in the Lord, attended the Netherlands Reformed Christian School in Pompton Plains through the eighth grade. It was here, in grade school, that he met Debra Nieuwenhuis, and they married on October 8, 1993. Debbie was the love of his life, his biggest cheerleader and supporter, and she lovingly cared for him throughout their twenty-nine years of marriage. They raised their family of four children and worked hard together every day. Bryan’s family meant everything to him, his kids were his pride and joy, and he loves their spouses just as much. He is grateful to have been able to see them all grow into the hard-working young adults that they are today. They will all miss his gentle heart and calm confidence, and his love will endure with them forever.

Bryan is survived by his wife of twenty-nine years; Debra (nee Nieuwenhuis) of Belvidere, their four children; Scott and his wife Leah, Emily Van Woudenberg and her husband Luke, Ryan and Rachel, two grandchildren; Connor and Blake, his grandmother; Jenny Van Vugt, his parents; David and Gerda Vande Vrede of Lincoln Park, his parents-in-law; Richard and Trudy Nieuwenhuis of Belvidere, his six siblings; Amy Carbone (Christopher), Kenneth (Lisa), Michael (Christine), Beverly Willekes (Abraham), Steven (Jaquelyn), and Daniel (Faye), his siblings-in-law; Bethanne McLean (Thomas), Lauren Spiro (Philip), and Cheryl Densel (Brian), twenty-four nieces and nephews, and a large, extended family. Bryan was predeceased by his son Thomas in 1997.

Donations in Bryan’s memory would be appreciated to the Puritan Reformed Theological School in Grand Rapids, MI.