We all know that 2020 wasn’t a great year.  We were quarantined, Kobe passed away, Tom Hanks got the rona, UFOs came back, murder hornets arrived, Trump did a lotta stuff, and Brexit happened. But then on top of all that, at the end of the year, we lost another champion. 

Thys Jan Sydney Dorenbosch passed away on December 23, 2020 in Los Angeles, after undergoing a procedure. A devoted husband and loving father, grandfather, brother, and uncle, Thys will always be remembered as a quick wit, a gentle soul, and the only staunch republican in the family. Though he was a bit quiet in his later years, he definitely didn’t start out that way.

Thys came barreling into the world on May 19, 1941 in Sydney, Australia, born to Matthew Marcellus Nicholas Jacobus Dorenbosch and Aukje Hoogeveen Dorenbosch, aka 100% Dutch lineage. Matthew, Aukje and Thys’ older sister Hilde were living the good life in Budapest, Hungary when the Nazis invaded Poland and then Holland. Where to go now? They couldn’t return to Holland under Nazi occupation. One step ahead, the little family traveled east on the Orient Express through the Balkan countries to Beirut, through the Arab nations, and landed for a short time in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). From the Island of Sumatra, they flew to Australia to avoid the threat of the Japanese invasion. From there, they fled to Sydney and Thys was born....or, as Dorenbosch family lore reports, was picked out of the pocket of a passing kangaroo. Six weeks later, the family left for the states by ocean liner across the Pacific, and under blackout conditions to avoid the Japanese U-boats, arriving safely Los Angeles. Upon arrival at their final destination, New York, Matthew accepted a job, and Thys’ two younger siblings, Annelies and Jan, joined the family.

The not-so-small brood hunkered down in Larchmont, where Thys spent the bulk of his childhood. As a kid, Thys was an instigator and a goofball, not only getting himself in trouble, but his siblings and friends as well. He was a practical joker of the first order, so it is a miracle, that as time wore on, Thys grew up to become a little more serious and focused, at times emulating his father, Matthew. 

Thys graduated from NYU with a degree in Accounting and passed the very difficult New York Certified Public Accountancy exams on the first try. Obviously! As a young CPA, he was smart and handsome, and worked hard crunching numbers in New York and then Atlanta for 20 years. It was there that Thys met his first wife Adele “Dell” Dorenbosch, and his daughters Jan and Karen were born. Needless to say, Thys had his hands full in a house overflowing with ladies.

Years later, Thys was offered a job out West and moved to California, where he rose the ranks at Phillip’s Ultrasound. It was there that he met his second wife, Patricia "Pat" Stites, whom he married in 1982. The two settled in Orange County and Thys’ third daughter, Allison Dorenbosch, was born. A devoted family man, Thys commuted from OC to LA every day for work, and only complained some of the time. In addition to his busy schedule and loudmouth kid, it was around this time that Thys perfected his famous “big salad” recipe*, an appetizer he reserved for Sunday afternoons during Siskel & Ebert (Thys always loved a 4 o'clock dinner).

In the 90s, Thys and Pat conceived another big surprise – no, not another daughter – a lucrative furniture store called VanDoren’s Consignments! For many years, Thys took great pride in helping customers, designing the store layout, restoring rich mahoganies, and forcing Allison to make deliveries with him. Many a-Wednesday night was spent at “the auction” where Thys and Pat scoured for new items – anything from antique credenzas, to ornate fine china, to a colossal cabinet from a torn down Vegas hotel that no joke weighed 700 lbs. Thys wasn’t always happy about the manual labor that went into business ownership, but he did enjoy conquering his honey-do list, and most of all, he enjoyed money. With the fruits of his labor, Thys eventually purchased the shiny red BMW that he had been eyeing for years. He was incredibly proud of his new "beamer" and often took Pat and Allison out for joy rides. Although he was the only one experiencing the "joy"....Thys specifically bought a stick shift so that Pat and Allison couldn't drive it.

In 2011, Thys and Pat retired to Henderson, Nevada, where they could be comfy and cozy – the 115-degree temps definitely suited them (and in the winter, they cranked the heat up that high!). For the next nine years, the couple spent their quiet time on the couch, finishing the crossword puzzle while watching “Who’s Line is it Anyway?” and “As Time Goes By” (look it up….it’s British). There was also the occasional bickering when Thys’ trigger finger slipped over to FOX News. Through his final days, Thys continued his 1950s nightly tradition of meat, potatoes, and vegetables (but not peas....NEVER peas). All topped off with a "bourbon and water" also known as Jim Beam with ice. We like to think that he's got plenty of sauce up there now.

Thys was preceded in death by his parents Mathew and Aukje, his first wife Dell, and his best friend Omer Stites. He is survived by his wife Patricia Dorenbosch, daughters Jan Clarke, Karen Mothner, and Allison Dorenbosch, and five grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters Hilde Doherty and Annelies "Siesa" Schlitt, his brother Jan Dorenbosch, and ten nieces and nephews. Thys is also fondly remembered by Pat's children Denny Stites, Stacey Sorensen, and Heidi Hargreaves. Plus, nine bonus grandchildren who all adored their Opa! Lastly, Thys’ shop, VanDoren’s Consignments continues to honor his legacy as a tentpole business on Tustin Avenue in Orange.

Thys’ family and friends would best describe him as considerate, kind-hearted, and a total history-buff. And as Thys grew up to be more and more like his dad, he resembled him more with each passing year (peep Matthew's portrait in the gallery for proof!). While he was a few thousand miles away from some of his siblings, Thys loved his family unconditionally. He was also incredibly proud of his Dutch heritage, hence his favorite phrase “If you’re not Dutch, you’re not much.” As mellow as Thys may have been in those later years, his family cherished his laid-back demeanor....until he threw out a quick jab joke at their expense (he had impeccable comedic timing that could hit you in the jugular!). Thys was a "Jeopardy" whiz, an affectionate hugger, and an exceptional man. He will be greatly missed.

*See Thys' famous "big salad" recipe in the memories section of this virtual memorial.  We love it and hope you do too!