Jacobus (Jaap) Van Heerden

                       June 15, 1943-September 18, 2023

Jacobus (Jaap) Van Heerden, 80, of Amherst passed away on September 18, 2023, after a period of declining health.

Jaap was born on June 15, 1943 in Haarlem, The Netherlands, son of the late Peter and Aaltje (Jansen) van Heerden.     He leaves his wife of 48 years, Regina Martel, cousins in The Netherlands, as well as a large circle of friends.       

He received a Master’s degree in geology from the University of Amsterdam before coming to the University of Massachusetts in 1969. Jaap was employed for more than 30 years as an AV Media Technician at the UMass Campus Center, retiring in 2003.

He enjoyed rock and ice climbing in the White Mountains and the French Alps. He was an inveterate traveler and photographer, visiting Mesoamerican ruins in Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico among other destinations. When he began birding, he joined the Hampshire Bird Club, where he volunteered for many years to provide AV support for the monthly club speakers and served on the Board.

Classical music was a lifelong passion. He frequently traveled to New York, Boston, and abroad to hear and meet with his favorite European musicians.

Services will be private.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the New York Philharmonic   https://give.nyphil.org/donate?utm_source=web&utm_medium=support_lp

or Hampshire Bird Club, Inc. Post Office Box 3637 Amherst, MA 01004-3637.

Memorial Guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com