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IN LOVING MEMORY OF Henry John Van-Hassel
Henry John
Van-Hassel
May 2, 1933 — Oct 22, 2020
Heiskell
Henry John Van-Hassel's Obituary
Henry John Van Hassel (Hank), born May 2, 1933 and raised on the "mean streets" of Paterson, New
Jersey, died October 22, 2020. In his own words, "I was big enough to beat up anyone who was fast
enough to catch me and fast enough to out-run anyone who could beat me up."
He graduated early from Paterson Central High School, was Man of the Year at Maryville College in 1954,
where he received his B.A. in English. He immediately joined the U.S. Army and served in the aftermath
of the Korean War.
In 1960 he married Ann Newell Wiley of Heiskell TN, when he was in Dental School and Ann had recently
left her position as Maryville College's first Admissions Counselor and was teaching. He received degrees
from the University of Maryland (D.D.S.) and the University of Washington (M.S. and Ph.D in Physiology).
He was honored to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award from each of these three institutions.
He was a commissioned officer in the U.S. Public Health Service and interned at the USPHS Hospital in
San Francisco, then was stationed at the USPHS Hospitals in Boston and Seattle. He completed his
residency in Endodontics at the University of Washington and was a professor at U.W. before becoming
chairman of the Department of Endodontics at the University of Maryland in Baltimore.
In 1984 he was named Dean of the School of Dentistry at the University of Oregon's Oregon Health
Sciences University in Portland, where he also became a Vice President, and also served as President of
the Oregon Dental Association. He was a Diplomate of the American Association of Endodontists, served
as President of the AAE and was editor of the Journal of Endodontics for many years. He authored many
articles in scientific journals and contributed chapters to several books as well as co-authoring two. He
was the recipient of every distinguished award possible from his professional organizations.
He was a fine athlete and gym rat, who until recently went twice a day to bike, treadmill, and lift weights.
He played racquetball competitively and he and Ann ran in many road races in Seattle, Baltimore, and
Portland.
He had a brilliant mind and could quote the Bible, Shakespeare, and myriad other poets at the drop of a
hat. He could sing hundreds of old pop songs and hymns, mostly and sadly off-key. He had a wonderful
sense of humor and told fantastic stories about boot camp at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and his experiences in
the hundreds of jobs he had putting himself through school.
He was a gifted teacher and many of his grad students have kept in touch with him over the years. He
was Ann's "ready reference" source when they were doing the New York Times and Wall Street Journal
crosswords. He could do math in his head faster than most people could get out their calculators. He
thought deeply about theological questions and was a great admirer of C.S. Lewis. His Christian faith was
very important to him. His speech was liberally laced with colorful language, which he tried to tone
down in his later years—not always successfully.
He was proud of his Dutch heritage and was raised in the Dutch Reformed, Presbyterian, and Methodist
churches. He found a loving home at St. Mark United Methodist Church in Clinton, TN, and leaves many
friends there, as well as at First Baptist Church's Family Life Center in Clinton, where he was an almost
daily visitor at their fitness facility until a few months ago.
Hank embraced Ann's Southern background and her family as his own. When he retired as Dean in 1998,
he and Ann returned to her family home in Heiskell. This Yankee city boy loved East Tennessee and living
out in the country, and knew that he had the best friends and neighbors in the world. Not too long ago,
he wrote his own obituary. It was sixteen lines long. He deserved more! He got it!
He is survived by his wife, Ann Wiley Van Hassel and cherished members of her family: Jeanette Wiley
McMaster; Mary Wiley McWhorter (Bill); Karen Lunde Wiley Young (Mike); Bruce, Karla, Lindsay, and
Kasey McMaster; Jane (McMaster), Dan and Ben Clemons; Catherine (McMaster), Paul, Anne, and
Rachel Pietrow; Elizabeth (McWhorter), John, Ethan, Allison, and Madeline Bridger; Andrea Wiley; Josh,
Rachel, Noah, Heidi, and Burks Wiley.
He was preceded in death by his parents Ina Sturr and William Cornelius Van Hassel of Paterson, New
Jersey; Ann's parents, Mildred Newell and Eugene Fulton Wiley of Heiskell; beloved "brother" David Lee
Wiley; and brother-in-law and friend William M. McMaster.
No services are scheduled at this time. Instead of sending flowers, please write a note to Ann recounting
your memories of Hank, and consider making a donation in his name to St. Mark United Methodist
Church, 252 Main Street, Clinton, TN 37716. Or to Wesley House Community Center, 1719 Reynolds
Street, Knoxville TN 37921. Holley Gamble Funeral Home in Clinton is assisting with arrangements.
To send flowers or plant a memorial tree in memory, please visit our flower store.
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