Obituary of Br. James Aquinas van Koolbergen CFC

Brother James Aquinas van Koolbergen passed away on September 22, 2023, at the age of 85. Brother van Koolbergen was born on December 17, 1937, in Teaneck , NJ, the son of James and Elsie Mihavetz van Koolbergen. Brother attended St. Andrew Elementary School and St. Cecilia High School in New Jersey. He studied at Iona College where he received a BA degree in Classical Language and his MA from SUNY Albany in Education Administration.

Brother van Koolbergen entered the Congregation of Christian Brothers on July 2, 1956, and professed his final vows on June 27, 1963.

Brother's ministry took him to several schools including St. Cecilia's Grammar School in East Harlem, Bishop Gibbons High School, Schenectady, where he served as Principal, Bishop Kearney High School in Rochester, Bergen Catholic High School, Iona Prep, New Rochelle, Tampa Catholic High School, and Trinity Catholic High School, Ocala. Brother was most recently a member of the Brothers' community at St. Joseph's Residence, New Rochelle.

Brother was predeceased by his parents James and Elsie van Koolbergen, his sister Edith Castellano and her husband Joe, his brother Jerry and his wife Frances, and Brother's cousin John van Koolbergen and his wife Judith.

Brother van Koolbergen is survived by his cousins Peggy (Walt), Kathie (Danny) and Butch, as well as nephews Joe (Susan), Steve (Allyson), Tom (Darleen), Jerry (Phil), Martin (Sanford), and his nieces Ginny, Susan (Peter) and Francine (Daniel) and many grandnieces and grandnephews.

The family and the Christian Brothers will receive friends at the Graham Funeral Home on Sunday, October 1, from 2:00 PM to 5 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Holy Family Church, New Rochelle, NY, on Monday, October 2, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. Interment will be at the Christian Brothers' Cemetery in West Park, NY. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Br. van Koolbergen's memory to St. Joseph's Residence, 30 Montgomery Circle, New Rochelle, NY 10804.