René George VanDeVoorde II, 79, passed away on April 16, 2025, at VNA Hospice House in Vero Beach, with his loving family by his side.
Born in Nebraska, René grew up at various U.S. Army bases across the country and graduated from Galesburg-Augusta High School near Kalamazoo, Michigan.
He attended Western Michigan University for one year before transferring to the University of Florida, eventually becoming a “Double Gator” and residing in Florida for the rest of his life. While at the University of Florida, he met his first wife, Karen, whom he married in 1969 and with whom he shared 45 years of happy marriage until her death in 2014.
He began his career as a high school history teacher, teaching U.S. History in both Miami and Melbourne, Florida, but returned to the University of Florida to attend law school. After graduating in 1973 with his Juris Doctor, René and Karen relocated to Sebastian, where he worked for the Vero Beach law firm of Collins Brown, opening the first private law office in Sebastian in 1974 and later becoming a partner at the firm.
René opened his own solo law practice in Sebastian in 1980, working with and mentoring many young attorneys over the years. In 2012, he closed his solo practice and opened a new law firm with his daughter Cynthia, VanDeVoorde Hall Law PL, from which he retired in 2017.
As a resident of the Sebastian River area for more than 50 years, René was involved in numerous community organizations. Throughout his legal career, he was active in the Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce, serving on the board and as an officer several times. During his first term as president, he helped form the Sebastian River Chamber of Commerce Foundation and facilitated the construction of the first chamber building in Sebastian.
René managed the open gym at Sebastian River Middle Junior High School for North Indian River County Recreation and played pickup basketball three nights a week for many years. One of his proudest achievements was being selected as Sebastian’s Man of the Year in 1999.
René was one of three founding members of the Sebastian Exchange Club, served as its president several times, was a district director, and met his second wife, Ellen Smith, at a Sebastian Exchange Club meeting. They married in 2018.
He was the first “Voice of the Sharks” for Sebastian River High School, announcing football games at Shark Stadium from their inaugural home game for 20 years. Throughout the years, he also served as president of the Indian River County Bar Association, the Sebastian Lions Club, North Indian River County Recreation Inc., Sebastian Little League, and the Sebastian River High School Booster Club.
René also served on the community advisory board of Sebastian River Medical Center for many years, as well as on the boards of the Laura Riding Jackson Foundation and the Sebastian River Area Historical Society. He was active in the Sons of the American Legion Squad 189 and the Knights of Columbus, St. Sebastian Council #8009.
After his retirement, René could often be seen riding his golf cart, smoking a cigar, picking up litter, and waving to drivers along Roseland Road. He loved traveling around the country with Ellen and especially enjoyed seeing shows and concerts in Las Vegas.
He was predeceased by his first wife, Karen VanDeVoorde; his parents; his brother, Michael White; and his nephew, Bill Cassidy. Survivors include his wife, Ellen Smith; son, Dr. René G. VanDeVoorde III (Nicole); daughters, Cynthia VanDeVoorde Hall (Martin) and Rachel VanDeVoorde Powell (Steven); grandchildren, Julianna, Eleanor, Oliver, William, Jack, and Emma; sisters, Stephanie Cassidy (Bill) and Judy Bynum; niece, Anne; nephews, Adam and Michael; stepsons, Lawrence Smith Jr. (Amy) and Christopher Smith; and step-grandchildren, Megan and Ryan.
His Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, May 9, 2025, at 3 p.m. at St. Sebastian Catholic Church, 13075 US-1, Sebastian, FL 32958, with a reception in LeSage Hall at St. Sebastian immediately following.
Memorial donations may be made to the Scholarship Foundation of Indian River County, Inc., VanDeVoorde Family Scholarship Award, P.O. Box 1820, Vero Beach, FL 32961, or the Sons of the American Legion Squad 189.
