Van W. Bearinger was born in Orchard, Nebraska on August 30, 1919 and graduated from Wayne State College in 1941.  In the spring of 1942 he entered the US Army Signal Corps.  He served in Europe as a Radar Officer.  He returned to the states in 1945 and was discharged in 1946.  He married Marjorie Holm and they have two children.  He was employed by Honeywell Inc. retiring in 1977.