Robert Velthuis, Jr.

Robert Velthuis, Jr., of Germantown, Maryland, was born in Cincinnati, OH, in 1938 to Hazel and Robert Velthuis, Sr.  After high school in Maryland he joined the Air Force and worked on U-2 mapping.   Ultimately he was sent to Ethiopia to teach mapping.   After service he attended U. of California and obtained a Masters degree.  He became an employee at the National Institute of Health after interning in the summers and spent 30-plus years there.  He was a member of the NIH sailing club in his free time and eventually had his own boat on the Chesapeake Bay. 

Bob was an active member at Neelsville Presbyterian Church for many years with a passion for evangelism and community outreach.  He loved to provide Bibles and teaching material on the “free” book table which at times was transported to the Germantown flea market to reach the community with God’s word.  He served as a choir member, an Elder and many terms as a Trustee.  An outreach service included packing and delivering food to school children who would have none on weekends in cooperation with Women Who Care.  He enthusiastically supported the English as A Second Language program at Neelsville.   For many years he was on the Board of Directors, Jobs Partnership, taught a faith-based job-readiness curriculum in the D.C. Jail, low-income communities and Mongtomery County Jail. 

Bob was active working in the Haitian refugee communities in the Bahamas.  He built a prototype and eventually a full-sized fishing boat for natives to earn money by catching and selling fish to hotels.   

Bob is survived by his wife, Betty, of twenty-two years as well as five children:  Steve and Becky Velthuis; Christine and Rob Laughlin; Erika and Rajendra Pillai; Jennifer Siever; Brian and Angel Siever.  He rejoiced in nineteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. 

Memorial services to celebrate his life 10:00 a.m. Saturday, November 19, 2022 at Neelsville Presbyterian Church, 20701 Frederick Road, Germantown, Maryland 20876.  Inurnment will follow in the church cemetery.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Robert Velthuis, Jr., please visit our floral store.