Walter Robert Van Hoek, United Church of Christ clergyman, died Sunday, Sept. 9th at Tippett House in Needham Massachesetts. at the age of 89. Born in Cleveland, Ohio on March 26, 1918 to Edward W. Van Hoek and Agnes Louise Fetzer, he was raised with his brother, Donald, in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Walter, known as "Van" to friends and family, graduated from the University of Michigan in 1940 with a bachelor's degree in mathematics. While briefly attending medical school, he realized that his interest in social service could be better met in the ministry. While his career carried him to the east coast, he never lost his fondness for Michigan. In 1946 Mr. Van Hoek graduated from Andover Newton Theological School, where he met his wife, Ruth Parsons, sister of an Andover Newton classmate. His professional career included ministry to Baptist churches in Needham, Seekonk, Rockland, Massachusetts and Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Van Hoek raised his family in East Orange, N.J. where he served as minister of the First Congregational Church of East Orange from 1952 to 1960. There he championed the concept of group ministry. He continued his ministry at the Harvard Church in Brookline, MA. He was instrumental in the formation of the United Parish in Brookline which united Harvard Congregational Church (United Church of Christ) with the neighboring Coolidge Corner area Methodist and Baptist churches. While in Brookline, he served on boards of the Huntington Ave. YMCA and the New England Baptist Hospital. During his ministry and throughout his life, Mr.Van Hoek preached and wrote extensively on his passion for peace, social action, social justice and environmental issues. In retirement Mr. Van Hoek settled in Stow, Maine. He continued his commitment to serving the local and worldwide community as President of the Western Maine Counseling Center, and as an active member of the Maine Chapter of the United Nations Association. He enjoyed a wide range of interests from stamp collecting to nurturing his oversized garden, sending his wife into frenzies of canning and freezing. He and his wife spoiled their daughters with thirty-five years of fresh asparagus and bottles of personally tapped maple syrup. He relished the beauty of his rural, mountainous surroundings where he enjoyed backpacking through the White Mountains. For the past few years, the Van Hoeks have resided at Webster Green in Needham. During his recovery from a hip fracture, Van utilized the medical equipment loan program run by the Needham Community Council. In a twist of fate, the loan program was a project he helped to launch as a student minister for the First Baptist Church of Needham. He leaves his wife Ruth Parsons Van Hoek of Needham, MA, daughters Deborah Abraham of Needham, MA and Sandra Dolins of Carlisle, MA and grandson, Robert Walter Dolins of Carlisle, MA. A memorial service will be held at the Congregational Church of Needham, 1154 Great Plain Ave., Needham on Saturday, September 29, 2007 at 2 P.M. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries c/o Congregational Church of Needham, 1154 Great Plain Ave., Needham 02492 .