D.D. Vandercook

Revised. David Dodge Vandercook (1901-1975) was Vice President of Engineering and Board Secretary and the second son of founder R.O. Vandercook. His name appears on 16 U.S. patents, sometimes with his father and brothers or key employees. D.D. Vandercook’s knowledge of engineering was self-taught. Too young to serve in WWI, he had to work to help support the family. Granddaughter Joann Moulton-Saunders says “Great grandfather was the dreamer and thought of the ideas, whereas grandpa was the worker. There was never a book he did not like and most of his collection were textbooks that he read like novels.” She also says that during WWII, when the company was engaged in war materials production, Vandercook would come home from the plant with a briefcase: “Poppy as we called him sat down in his chair after work and when dinner was ready he went to the table with the briefcase. When he went to bed it was always with him. Later we were told that the FBI was outside every time Poppy brought his briefcase home. … He was very proud to have served his country.” D.D. Vandercook retired from the company in 1955 after suffering a brain aneurysm. He and his family moved to Fort Myers, Florida where he later died, two days shy of his 74th birthday. See profiles on R.O. Vandercook, E.O. Vandercook and F.R. Vandercook.