Vanis, affectionately known as Van to friends and family, passed away on Nov. 15, 2012, at Kaiser Hospital in Hayward.
He was born in West Virginia and served two years in the U.S. Army before making California his home in 1962. He
He had worked at General Motors in Oakland and Fremont among various other jobs before making his decision to take up art as a hobby.
Through his studies of art, Van had become known throughout California as one of its finest Impressionistic Artists and one of the areas most sought-after art teachers. Van has won over 300 national and regional awards, and is listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in Art and Who's Who in The World. Van is well represented in many private and public collections throughout the world.
He was a graduate of the Art Institute with a California Teaching Credential and has also studied at the Sergei Bongart School of Art, as well as with many Master Artists throughout the United States.
Van is survived by brothers, Cecil, Tom, Raymond, Earl, Jimmy and Robert Waldron.
He was also preceded in death by two brothers Johnny and Norman Waldron; and two sisters, Leona Devore and Marjorie Enoch. Van is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
There will be a memorial service to be held at a later date.
