William "Bill" Van Essen Family

William Earl “Bill” Van Essen was born Dec. 24 1919 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, to Clarence and Clare Van Essen. In 1920, the family moved back to Brainerd and soon began operating Van’s Lunch at 6th and Washington where Bill lived with his parents and sisters above the restaurant. After graduating from high school, Bill enrolled in the newly founded Brainerd State Junior College (now part of CLC) located on the 3rd floor of what was then Washington Senior High and was a member of its first graduating class in 1940. He went on to enroll in the chemical engineering program at the University of Minnesota.

When WWII broke out, he enlisted in Bernie Bierman’s first squadron of Golden Gopher Navy Pilots and flew carrier-based anti-submarine patrols out over the Atlantic. After the war ended, he joined the reserves, where he quickly established his “reputation” as a prankster. One day, while on a training mission, he and his co-pilot flew down 6th St. in Brainerd at such a low altitude that the plane was level with the second story of the Elks Building at 6th and Laurel. Legend has it that one of the startled Elks looking out the window was his father, Clarence.

Shortly thereafter, Bill retired from the Navy and moved back to Brainerd, beginning his 30 year career as manager and eventual owner of Van’s Cafe. He married Patricia Maghan in 1951, and soon moved into what would be their life-long home where they raised their four sons.

After 45 years of community service, and innumerable articles and pictures thereof in the Dispatch, Bill was named Brainerd’s 1992 Citizen of the Year. He was very proud and delighted to be honored by many of his friends and members of the community at an open house held at the Elks Lodge in June of 1993, a year after major surgery for tongue cancer.

Bill died in December of 1994 (nine months after the death of his wife and ten days shy of his 75th birthday) of complications following major heart surgery. His sense of humor, storytelling, and all around good nature is missed by all who knew him.

Bill was very involved in his community, joining many organizations and becoming a very active and tireless worker toward the betterment of his community. A partial list of his activities and awards:
• American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) – Lifetime member after the war
• Disabled American Veterans (DAV) – Treasurer of Crow Wing County chapter for 43 years
• Airport Commission – Commissioner when Airport opened in 1949
• Elks Lodge – Youngest-ever Exalted ruler of the Brainerd Lodge in 1951
• Brainerd Junior Chamber of Commerce – President in 1952
• Brainerd Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce – Signed up 144 new members
• Brainerd Lions Club – Charitable Gambling Manager, National Melvin Jones Fellow in 1990
• Brainerd Restaurant Association – President in various years
• Brainerd Community College (was BSJC, now part of CLC) – Distinguished Alumni of 1992-1993
• Camp Courage – Board of Directors
• Camp Confidence – Fund raising
• St. Francis Catholic Church – Member of Knights of Columbus

In 1996, the William Van Essen Memorial Scholarship Fund was established at CLC by his family.