Aldo Vandermolen ’59

Aldo died July 17, 2017, in Dover, N.J., after a five-year battle with glioblastoma. Born in Alkmaar, Holland, schooled there in Dutch and then in Portuguese in Brazil, he graduated as valedictorian from his São Paulo high school in 1954, and then shipped out as a freighter deckhand to join his parents in New Jersey. He entered 12th grade at Nutley High School to learn English, and mastered the language and matriculated at Princeton. He majored in economics, played varsity soccer, served on the Interagency Council, and joined Cloister Inn. Aldo earned an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Brief stints with Grey Advertising and Colgate-Palmolive ensued. But his life’s work was his family’s business, Vandermolen Corp. in Livingston, N.J., serving as sales manager, then president. There he invented the backpack leaf blower, a portable wood chipper, and an electronic insect killer. A longtime Rotarian, he served as his club’s president. He loved travel, good food, wine, music, and good friends, of which he had many. He married Joan Aldred in 1962. Sadly, she died in 1984.

Our professors lectured us on renaissance men, and Aldo was one: merchant seaman, accomplished athlete, advertising executive, inventor, sales manager, CEO, Rotarian, civic leader, fundraiser, benefactor, and fluent in five languages.

Aldo is survived by his devoted partner, Doris Bonanno; his children, Garret, Jennifer, Elise, and Evin; Doris’ daughters, Lori, Lisa, Linda, Leslie, and Noni; his sisters, Mariette and Irene; and many grandchildren. We have sent condolences.