James C. Van Bruggen; Federal Employee

James Cornelius Van Bruggen, a 26-year veteran of the U.S. Department of Defense at Point Mugu Naval Air Weapons Station, died Friday after a yearlong battle with lung cancer. He was 62.

Van Bruggen, a Ventura resident for 32 years, was born April 5, 1935, in Cutlerville, Mich. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was a police officer in Grand Rapids, Mich., before moving west.

He was a member of American Legion Post 482 in Ojai and the National Assn. of Retired Federal Employees, Ventura Chapter 190. He was also a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church of Oxnard.

He enjoyed fishing in Alaska, and his hobbies included golf and watching sports.

He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Nola Van Bruggen; daughters Debbie Wilson of Kansas, and Lynette Eastlick and Sandra Baughman, both of Alaska; brother Elwin Van Bruggen of Grand Rapids; sisters Laura Lameyer, Karen Baker and Ilene Van Bruggen, all of Grand Rapids; 11 grandchildren, and one great-grandson. His son, Robert James, died in 1977.

Friends and family may visit from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at Pierce Brothers Griffin Mortuary Chapel in Camarillo. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Conejo Mountain Memorial Park in Camarillo.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions in Van Bruggen’s memory be made to City of Hope Cancer Research, 500 E. Duarte Road, Duarte 91010.