A young boy timidly makes his way to the front of an eager classroom. Pens click, seats creak and feet tap to fill the quiet of waiting. But as he lifts his paper a bit and parts his lips to speak, the clicking, creaking and tapping cease. Each student listens as their classmate tells the story of his family’s business: how it belonged to his grandfather, and now, his own father. Beaming proudly, he announces that someday he will follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, Albert VanTieghem, and carry on their family’s legacy.

With five children, 11 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren, Mr. Albert R. Van Tieghem has a great deal invested in the future. As years have gone by and the little ones have grown, you can bet that Mr. Van Tieghem has shared with each generation the traditions and values of their family. Along with these, he has likely shared the story of his life with them, and how he came to create a financial legacy with the Community Foundation in order to extend the fruits of his full life to others.

Albert Van Tieghem was born in Moline on September 1, 1927, just as summer was taking its leave. As a young boy, he attended Sacred Heart School in Moline, IL, followed by high school at Saint Joe’s in Rock Island, IL. In 1945, after high school and in the midst of World War II, he enlisted in the Navy. He was recalled into the Korean War in 1950. When the time came to enter into college, he chose to remain in the area and attend Augustana College for four and a half years of night school. There, he studied accounting and taxation. He received teaching certificates in both business administration and music, and became a Licensed Public Accountant and Accredited Business Accountant and Tax Preparer.

Mr. Van Tieghem married Ruth Lambrick in 1948. During the early years of married life, the couple lived in Moline and Mr. Van Tieghem worked for the International Harvester Farmall plant. By the time he left the company, he had served there for 12 years. They had their first child, Nancy, in 1949. In 1955, he started his own private accounting and tax business in East Moline. He and Ruth soon built a new house in East Moline, and moved there to be closer to the business. Along with the many other responsibilities he was juggling, Mr. Van Tieghem was also secretary-treasurer of Moline Iron Works from 1957-1961. By 1959, he and Ruth had four more children: Carol, Diane, Rick and Bob. Although Mr. Van Tieghem was working for his accounting and tax business and coaching little league baseball, he always treasured the time and attention he and Ruth bestowed upon their five children.

From 1961 to 1965, Mr. Van Tieghem taught at the Moline Institute of Commerce, the American Institute of Commerce in Davenport, and Blackhawk College. Along with teaching, he was a lecturer for The National Society of Public Accountants, and later became the society’s president. He spent 12 years traveling the world and delivering presentations on “Taxation and Accountancy,” simultaneously holding the presidential position at the Chamber of Commerce and East Moline Rotary Club, and keeping up his business.

Ruth Van Tieghem passed away in 1994. As a woman with so much love for youth and pride in the community, she undoubtedly had valuable work left to do at the time of her passing. In response to Ruth’s esteem for Quad City youth, Mr. Van Tieghem created a memorial scholarship in her name through the Belgian Cultural Society. The Society handles their funds through the Community Foundation, which is how Mr. Van Tieghem was first introduced to the Foundation. The scholarship is awarded each year to a student who has completed their first two years of college, and shows not only that they are committed to continuing their education, but also enthusiastic about the field in which they are studying.

In 1996, Mr. Van Tieghem married Bette Williams, who had been a cherished friend of Ruth’s for many years. In 2002, the couple moved to a condo in Sarasota, FL that Mr. Van Tieghem had purchased in 1972. Before the move, Mr. Van Tieghem’s favorite hobbies included relishing in time with his wife, golfing at Short Hills Country Club and playing the horn. He had played the horn often during the 1940’s and 1950’s, including performances in local bands, USO shows, and even with Lawrence Welk in 1945 and with Ray Anthony’s Naval Band in Hawaii.

While still in the area, Mr. Van Tieghem also served as a board member for the Mark of the Quad Cities where he was the treasurer for 14 and a half years. Now in Sarasota, he volunteers with the circus. Abstaining from tightrope walking and acts involving lions, he keeps to less dangerous tasks like managing the money, ushering, and making sure whatever else needs to be done is done.

Mr. Van Tieghem has an assortment of various charitable interests, but they are bound to local charities. He says he prefers to provide for organizations and funds through which he can see his contributions being used one hundred percent for local projects. He places great importance on his roots in the Quad Cities, and feels he had the best opportunities for education throughout his life.

Mr. Van Tieghem’s own opportunity for excellent education has motivated him to provide similar opportunities for students through the Ruth Van Tieghem Memorial Scholarship and the Community Foundation. “If we don’t have faith in the young people, then our country’s in sad shape,” he says. “We hear a lot about the bad ones, and not enough about the good ones. We need to devote ourselves to that.” True to his word, through the legacy of Ruth and himself, Mr. Van Tieghem will continue their devotion to the caliber and potential of youth in the Quad City area.