Warren H. van Eck (left) and Arthur Hurwith (photo: Derek Gordon)
Warren was born in Oakland, California, after six brothers and one sister. His twin brother was born 11:50 PM on December 20th, while Warren was born 12:10 AM on December 21st, which mean that they had different birthdays and different Zodiac signs. All of his brothers married multiple times; only Warren married just once. He and his wife had no children, and all his brothers and his sister predeceased him.
Warren was drafted into the army and spent time overseas in Korea as the mail clerk for his unit. After the army he went to college and got his Bachelor’s degree. He went to work for Greyhound Bus Line from whom he retired after 43 years as Director of Charter Sales, supervising a department of 43 “girls”. While at Greyhound he married his wife, a supervisor in Greyhound’s accounting department whom he had known since they were both pre-teens. They were married for 42 years when she died in 1989.
Warren was an active person. Not only was he a Mason, but he and his wife were patron and matron in Eastern Star, and Warren covered California as a representative of the California Eastern Star. For many years he was also Choir Director for his local church.
In 1998 The San Francisco Council of Emperors gave Warren the permanent title of Prince To The Council of Emperors. When the G 40 Plus Club became part of the Prime Timers, he was the first President of the San Francisco Prime Timers. In April 2009 he received The Trailblazer Award from openhouse; he was part of the first Board of Directors of openhouse.
Warren’s death is not to be mourned. Not only did he miss his siblings, but in his final weeks he suffered various aches and pains, lost his appetite, lost his sense of balance and would require help getting back up. He was ready to go and left orders that there was to be no memorial, celebration of life, funeral, or wake, since “you’ll never get out of this world alive”.
Tags: LGBT seniors, Warren van Eck
