Van Vranken - Robert Eakins Jr. of Pennington, New Jersey died April 4th, 2023 due to complications of dementia. He was born September 23, 1935 in Brooklyn, NY. He was a graduate of the Lawrenceville School, Cornell University, and Rider University. He was married to the late Kenan Myers Van Vranken for over three decades and together they raised three sons. A strong believer in the citizen-soldier tradition, he served in ROTC at Cornell and for 36 years in the Army Reserve and National Guard, retiring in 1995 as a Lieutenant Colonel.In 1966 he joined the administration of Princeton University, where he served for over four decades in various positions including the Offices of Registrar, Admissions, and Annual Giving. The many connections he made with students and their families during his tenure at the University still live on today. He believed strongly in the mission of the University and worked tirelessly to create opportunities for students to attend Princeton and be supported as they worked towards their degrees. He concluded his long service to the University in the Office of Annual Giving, where he was able to help extend opportunities for future students by building strong partnerships with alumni. His work at Princeton earned him honorary membership in eight classes: 1943, 46, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52 and 77. In the New Jersey community, he was the founder of the Lawrence Township Helping Houses Child Safety Program. He was a co-founder of the Lawrence Township Youth Hockey Program, where he taught hundreds of boys ice hockey skills. One of Robs great joys was to walk in the Adirondack Mountains. The family made numerous camping trips in the Heart Lake region. As a reflection of their love for the Adirondacks, Robert and Kenan sent all three of their sons to Camp Dudley in Westport, New York. In 2002, Rob walked the 500-mile Camino Francs route of the Camino de Santiago in Spain. He is survived by his three sons Robert III (Barbara), Nelson (Amy), and Peter (Amanda), and by his eight grandchildren Cooper, Kenan, Brennan, Sarah, Arnold, Elise, Norah, and Silas. A private graveside ceremony will be held later this month in Princeton, New Jersey. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be directed to Trinity Counseling Service of Princeton, NJ. Arrangements under the direction of Sanderson-Ducharme Funeral Home. Online condolences at www.sandersonfuneralhome.com