Carol Ann Vander Jagt
February 11, 1936 ~ December 19, 2009
Carol Ann Vander Jagt, age 73, passed away at her home in Great Falls, Virginia, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was preceded in death by her husband, former U.S. Representative Guy Vander Jagt, following his own battle with cancer in 2007. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Carol was the daughter of Ray & Virginia Doorn & sister of Eugen Doorn. She was the second licensed female stock broker in the state of Michigan.
While working for a psychologist, she met Guy Vander Jagt, then a young defense attorney trying a major case. They were married in 1964; soons after, Carol became Guy's campaign manager in his run for the Michigan State Senate, & then for the U.S. House of Representatives. Together with friends & supporters across the state, Carol helped to build her husband's political career & launched his annual fundraiser, the "Fry for Guy", which became one of the top annual political events in Michigan. She was active on the national political scene as well, serving as Co-Chairman of the Reagan Roundup, the national voter registration drive for President Ronald Reagan's 1984 re-election campaign, Director of the National Republican Congressional Committee's Spouse Activities, a memeber of the Republican Women's Federal Forum, a political consultant to the Fund for America's Future, & a House of Representatives Liasion for Congressional Wives for Bush. Of particular importance to her was the Internation Neighbors Club IV, for which she served as President, Vice President & Treasurer, promoting worldwide goodwill & better understanding among spouses of diplomats, government officials & Washington neighbors. She was also a member of the Committee of 21, a human rights monitoring group focusing on Soviet prisoners of conscience, & of Congressional Wives for Soviet Jews, as well as Chair of the Executive Panel of the Board of Directors of the National Business Consortium for the Gifted & Talented. She is survived by her beloved daughter, Virginia Marie. From Grand Rapids to Great Falls, from Luther to Washington, she was a friend to many. Her gracious hospitality & friendly smile will be greatly missed by all.
In lieu of flowers, those wishing to do so may make contributions to the Great Falls Charitable Foundation, the Foundation for Georgetown University Hospital for the Pediatric Transplant Program, or Uniting Against Lung Cancer.
Funeral Home:
Money & King Funeral Home
171 W. Maple Ave.
Vienna, VA
US 22180
While working for a psychologist, she met Guy Vander Jagt, then a young defense attorney trying a major case. They were married in 1964; soons after, Carol became Guy's campaign manager in his run for the Michigan State Senate, & then for the U.S. House of Representatives. Together with friends & supporters across the state, Carol helped to build her husband's political career & launched his annual fundraiser, the "Fry for Guy", which became one of the top annual political events in Michigan. She was active on the national political scene as well, serving as Co-Chairman of the Reagan Roundup, the national voter registration drive for President Ronald Reagan's 1984 re-election campaign, Director of the National Republican Congressional Committee's Spouse Activities, a memeber of the Republican Women's Federal Forum, a political consultant to the Fund for America's Future, & a House of Representatives Liasion for Congressional Wives for Bush. Of particular importance to her was the Internation Neighbors Club IV, for which she served as President, Vice President & Treasurer, promoting worldwide goodwill & better understanding among spouses of diplomats, government officials & Washington neighbors. She was also a member of the Committee of 21, a human rights monitoring group focusing on Soviet prisoners of conscience, & of Congressional Wives for Soviet Jews, as well as Chair of the Executive Panel of the Board of Directors of the National Business Consortium for the Gifted & Talented. She is survived by her beloved daughter, Virginia Marie. From Grand Rapids to Great Falls, from Luther to Washington, she was a friend to many. Her gracious hospitality & friendly smile will be greatly missed by all.
In lieu of flowers, those wishing to do so may make contributions to the Great Falls Charitable Foundation, the Foundation for Georgetown University Hospital for the Pediatric Transplant Program, or Uniting Against Lung Cancer.
Funeral Home:
Money & King Funeral Home
171 W. Maple Ave.
Vienna, VA
US 22180
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Carol was a very intelligent, thoughtful and compassionate person. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends. She was a very special lady and one of a kind. Our condolences to you Ginny. You are in our thoughts. Judy and Mike
Dear Ginny, I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of your beloved Mom. Carol was my high school friend and I have wonderful memories of her kind and genial ways! I looked forward to seeing her from time to time at our school reunions and a few other times when she came back to Grand Rapids as well. You will miss her very much however the good news is that she will continue to live on in your heart! My thoughts and prayers are with you during these difficult days. Please accept my deepest sympathy. Sincerely, Jodie Naum
Dear Ginny, I was so sad to learn of your mother’s passing. As you know, I really treasure the memories of visits to Great Falls, and in particular dinners with your parents. I am very sorry not to have written sooner, but I only just heard this news. I hope that you have been doing okay under the circumstances. All my best, Tim
Dear Ginny, I do not know if this condolence booklet is still open, or whether the message will get to you, but it is April 4, 2014. My parents were married on April 3, 1941. So I always reflect on that about this time of year, and then I remember your mother and father, too. I remembered today that it is the 50th anniversary of your folk’s wedding and I was going to call your mother. I lost her phone number, so I searched the web and I was shocked to learn she had passed over four years ago. I am so sorry; nobody outside of MY mother and father was more kind to me than your mother and father. Friendships on this earth are so fragile; I expected to enjoy their friendship much longer than all of us were able. I was going to take her out for dinner years ago, but I have had health challenges of my own, congestive heart failure and a stroke. But I am doing very well and I just bought a new Camaro and I travel all over and feel much better than in years. How are you doing? I would like to take you out to dinner sometime as substitute for your mother. I intend to take another couple out, hopefully this year, Colleen House Gizzi (she was formerly married to John Engler and a member of the Michigan legislature at 22) and John Gizzi (he former wrote for Human Events, but now writes for Newsmax), and he can tell the story as well as your dad about how your grandparents landed at Hobolen, New Jersey. Gizzi once asked your dad if you were going to go to Hope College, and he answered, “Noooooo, John, I wanted her to go to Hope College, but she wanted to go [I think] to Brown.” So we as a group could have an enriching experience reflecting on your mother and father. So, I was dismayed to learn it, but I convey my tardy condolences. Ed Fredricks