Catoctin Mtn. Growers Owner Robert Van Wingerden Dies in Tragic Accident
March 30, 2026 
Robert Van Wingerden (center) of Catoctin Mtn. Growers; photo: Catoctin Mtn. Growers
An accident involving a boiler explosion at Catoctin Mtn. Growers in Keymar, MD, has tragically claimed the life of owner and long-time horticulture industry member Robert Van Wingerden.
A report from CBSnews.com’s Baltimore affiliate offered first details on the accident, which took place Friday evening on March 20. The thermal explosion caused a partial structural collapse and injured three employees, one of them critically. The victims’ burns were likely caused by steam. All three injured employees were taken to the Johns Hopkins Bayview Burn Center. Investigators with the Maryland State Fire Marshall confirmed the blast originated from an industrial-sized boiler, spilling all of its contents of 180-degree water.
Robert Van Wingerden was taken to the hospital immediately following the accident, and passed away on Monday, March 23. He leaves behind his wife Denise (Hayden), children (all of whom also worked at Catoctin Mtn. Growers) William, Tyler, Christina, and Blake, and eight grandchildren with a ninth on the way. A full obituary can be found here; please note that the family will receive friends from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on April 11, 2026 at Uniontown Church 4272 Watson Ln, Union Bridge, MD 21791. A memorial service will begin at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Robert’s memory to Mount Airy Christian Academy, 16700 Old Frederick Road, Mt Airy, MD 21771, https://mount-airy-christian-academy.square.site.
The Greenhouse Grower team extends its condolences to the entire Van Wingerden family. Here’s a link to a cover story on Catoctin Mtn. Growers that ran in the August 2017 issue.
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