CENTENARIAN and former Pyramid Hill champion  bowler Ivan Vanderwall has passed away, aged 103.
Mr Vanderwall had lived independently until earlier this year when ill-health saw him move to Northhaven in Kerang.
 Although upset for the first couple of weeks, friends said Ivan changed his mind and said many times what a great place Northhaven was, a nice room and a great selection of food.
On his birthday in June when friend Terry Wood asked Ivan what was the secret of becoming 103. he said: “Life is a mystery”.
Ivan was born in the village of Bakhuizen in the township of Gaasterland in the Province Friesland in The Netherlands, one of 11 children.
Ivan worked with his father on the family dairy farm from a young age, lived through the difficult time. of the Great Depression. 
They were receiving one cent a litre for the milk, not enough income to feed their cows, many died. 
The family then switched to growing tulips, they received one cent for each flower, until exports ceased due to the depression. 
After this they altered their enterprise to growing gladioli and market garden, this provided a better income
He was two weeks short of 18 when Germany invaded Holland and he was called up to serve in the Dutch Army. Holland was then locked down by Germany for five years. 
Those years were difficult for Ivan and scary hiding from the German Army in haystacks, under manure pits and in cellars.
Ivan migrated to Australia in 1957 and worked at the Good Shepherd convent in Abbortsford where he met future wife Marie and later moved to Sydney before retirement brought the couple to Pyramid Hill in 1980.
Terry Wood recalled that Ivan and Marie shared many happy years and travelled to visit family in Canada and Friesland. 
“They also visited a sister in New Zealand. Ivan enjoyed fishing, scrabble and excelled in lawn bowls accruing many trophies over the years,” he said.
“The staff at Northhaven are to be thanked for giving Ivan respect and care that made his time there comfortable.”
The funeral service for Ivan will be held in Pyramid Hill today.
Loddon Shire has three centenarians following Ivan’s passing - Florrie Soulsby, Jack Harrison and Alan Streader.