Pete Veldman, a man who built one of the area’s largest businesses and supported numerous charities, died early Monday morning surrounded by family. He was 87.

Veldman, the founder of Tire Rack, will be remembered not just for the company that employs more than 400 people in South Bend. He also leaves a legacy of generosity and a life story that, for many, embodies the American dream.

“Pete Veldman blended so well sound business sense with personal warmth, kind trust and a great sense of humor,” said Phil Newbold, the CEO of Beacon Health System. “Our community has been so enriched by this gentle man with his infectious smile, quick wit and deep family values.”

Veldman was born April 4, 1926, on a farm in the Netherlands. He was the oldest of 12 children in his family and came of age in an area that was occupied by the Germans during World War II.

He immigrated to the United States in 1949 and worked as a migrant farm laborer. He first came to the Michiana region to pick fruit crops around Benton Harbor.

Veldman served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War from 1950 to 1952, and he continued to support veterans’ causes throughout his life.
In 1953, he married Wilma Zents, his sweetheart from the Netherlands. The couple had seven children and remained married for the following 61 years until his death Monday.

Veldman operated several businesses on South Bend’s west side with his wife and his siblings from 1956 to 1979.

Tire Rack was founded in 1979 as a single store that sold tires for high-performance cars. The company started its first mail-order operation three years later and grew exponentially from there. It began testing the tires it sold in 1995 and then became one of the first mail-order tire operations to embrace Internet sales.

“His leadership and presence within the Tire Rack walls for 35 years was marked by an unfettered energy and drive for excellence that will absolutely endure in everyone that was fortunate to know him, work for him and learn from him,” said Matt Edmonds, who is Tire Rack’s vice president and Veldman’s son-in-law.

Veldman never lost his work ethic — even after he’d become a millionaire several times over. That quality made an impression on Jeff Rea, the president and CEO of the St. Joseph County Chamber of Commerce.

“What was inspiring to me is I went out to the plant and Wilma was working the customer service area, and Pete was out working on the line,” Rea said. “And he was just as likely to be moving tires out in the warehouse as he was to be up in his office.”

Veldman never let success go to his head either. The Chamber of Commerce honored the Veldmans for their work in the community at last year’s Salute to Business luncheon. Chamber leaders had to talk Veldman into accepting the public recognition.

“To those that knew him well,” Rea said, “they knew the same guy whether he had a dollar in his pocket or more than that.”

Many people who work in Michiana’s nonprofit sector talked about Veldman’s humility on Monday. He and his family have supported many charitable causes in the region, but they haven’t sought much attention for it. “He and his entire family have just been very generous to lots of people in the community. Lots of organizations have benefited from their generosity,” said Mike Wargo, chief operating officer for the Hospice Foundation in Mishawaka. “It certainly is a big loss for the community.”

The Veldmans were major contributors to the new St. Joseph High School, which opened in 2012 on the former site of St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. “He was a warm, caring and generous person, always believing in helping others in a variety of ways,” said Susan Richter, the high school’s principal. “He left a legacy everyone can appreciate and admire. His generosity to us and Catholic education is extraordinary.”

The family also has been instrumental in the growth of Hannah’s House, a Mishawaka-based charity that helps pregnant women. “Their inspiration to us all has been outstanding,” development director Bill Killilea said.

Veldman’s visitation is scheduled for 2 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Kaniewski Funeral Home, 3545 N. Bendix Drive in South Bend. Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Christ the King Catholic Church in South Bend, followed by burial at St. Joseph Valley Memorial Park in Granger.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to Holy Cross Mission Center, P.O. Box 543, Notre Dame, IN 46556, or Women’s Care Center, 360 N. Notre Dame Ave., South Bend, IN 46617.