Nathan VanBeek, 34, passed away on February 8, 2024. He was born on February 21, 1989 to Tom and Trish VanBeek. While Nathan grew up in the Fernandina Beach area, he had a dream as of young boy of living in North Caroliina. This dream was driven by his passion for racing and he often shared his dream with his Nana on his frequent after school rides.
Nathan made his dream a reality when he moved to North Carolina around the age of 24. He had earned a certification in HVAC and felt he could earn a living utilizing this in North Carolina. He first moved to Garner, North Carolina but after a few years he knew it was time to move from apartment living and purchased his home. Nathan continued to pursue his racing dreams through race promoting and with the support and encouragement from great friends like Tony Wilson and his family, he started the successful Carolina Extreme Pro Mod series. It pleased Nathan that he was able to put on races which brought in many of his idols that he grew up watching.
But, Nathan felt it was time for him to get back in a race car and a few years back, his father, Tom, let him take over the wheel of his 1988 Top Sportsman Beretta. That year, Nathan finished 2nd in the IHRA world championship missing out on first place by 5 points. Nathan always told his dad if he had let him start that season driving, he would have finished in first place but he was only joking as he really enjoyed watching his dad race as much as he loved to race. He recently purchased his first dragster and was loving being back at the racetrack as a driver.
Nathan had so many friends he met and made through racing and while it may have started with “hey, Nathan aren’t you Tom’s son” it soon became “hey Tom, aren’t you Nathan’s dad” which always tickled Nathan.
Nathan loved hunting and as young boys, he and TJ would often take his dad’s ladders to the woods to be used as “tree stands.” He secured hunting land in recent years and his goal was to create a hunting camp feel he had grown to love while visiting and hunting with his Wisconsin family since he was baby. Nathan’s Uncle Bob and Aunt Deb opened their home every Thanksgiving for gun hunt season and Nathan truly loved being there hearing the hunting stories each year no matter how many times they may have been told, hunting in the snow and just being with family. Nathan shared his love of hunting with his friend Ryan, cousin Rob and nephew Carson in North Carolina. He would tell his mom and dad that while seeing deer was great, sharing this with people he loved was what meant most to him. He never really talked about the deer they got or didn’t get, it was always about how’d they laugh so much their faces would hurt. He also introduced the guys to his version of a low county boil and that soon became the highlight of hunt camp. For Nathan, it was all about creating memories and traditions.
Nathan was the baby of many cousins on both his mom and dad’s side of the family. We would often hear stories of how Nathan got preferential treatment from grandmas, aunts and uncles. But it was never said with malice because it was hard to stay mad with Nathan.
People gravitated to Nathan’s kind heart and gentle spirit. He never judged but welcomed all walks of life into his circle. He leaves behind his mom and dad who will miss him more than words can express, his brother Wayne (Stacy), sister Shannon, and many aunts, uncles nephews and cousins and special friends who will make sure that Nathan is never forgotten. Nathan was embraced by many who were waiting for him in heaven.
Funeral Services will be held Friday, February 16, 2024 at 2:00 PM in the Burgess Chapel of Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors. The family will receive friends beginning at 1:00 PM.
He will be laid to rest at Green Pine Cemetery.
We will miss Nathan’s smile, his quick wit, the way he liked to tease and pick on those he loved, his ability to follow his dreams and make them a reality, his passion for racing and hunting, his friendship that never wavered, his love of family, and the way he valued the important parts of life. He was never pretentious – he was what his mom always encouraged him to be – A Simple Man.