Henry L. "Hank" Vandenberg,
82, of Ironwood, died peacefully Saturday, March 8, 2014, surrounded by his
loving family, at Aspirus Grand View Hospital in Ironwood, following an extended
illness. He was born March 9, 1931, in Ironwood, son of
the late Julius and Ruby (Kent) Vandenberg, attended St. Ambrose Grade School,
and graduated from Luther L. Wright High School in 1949. Following graduation,
he delivered milk for Tiny Gustafson at the Brookvale Dairy in Ironwood, and was
employed at Osmose Preserving Co. in Bessemer, Proch Construction in Hurley,
Wis., and in the Penokee Mine for 10 years. He then was employed as a forestry
technician with the U.S. Forest Service for 30 years, retiring in 1991. In his
retirement, he worked for Steiger Lumber Co. as a timber cruiser for several
years. Hank was a member of Our Lady of Peace
Catholic Church in Ironwood and the former Holy Trinity Catholic Church. He
bartended at Bingo's in Wakefield in his younger years and played cards there on
Thursday nights in his later years. He was also a former member of the Range
Beagle Club. An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed hunting and making wood at his
camp, and especially enjoyed spending time with his family and grandchildren at
camp. He will be dearly missed. On July 12, 1952, Hank was married to the
former Adele V. Pertile at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Hurley, by the late
Monsignor Michael Prock. Surviving are his wife, Adele, of 61 years;
four daughters, Debra (Randy) Trudgeon, Quinnesec, Diane (Gary) Baron and
Darlene (Michael) Begalle, both of Ironwood, and Donna (Dave Anderson),
Wakefield; eight grandchildren, Matthew (Tina) Trudgeon, Two Rivers, Wis., Bryan
Trudgeon (Lisa Hosking), Iron Mountain, Lauren (Cory) Roell, Channing, Christine
(Bennett) Freedman, Edwards, Colo., Crystal Laabs (Jason Pelkola), Kimball,
Wis., Danielle Begalle, Ironwood, and Nicholas Maki and Brycen Kitto, both of
Wakefield; four great-grandchildren, Blake, Lucas and Brady Trudgeon and Tanner
Pelkola; two sisters, Edith (Russell) Rundell and Karen (Robert) Smith, both of
Ironwood; an uncle, Ernie Kent, Ironwood; sisters-and brothers-in-law, Margaret
and Don Lonsway and Anton and Antoinette Pertile, all of Ironwood, Rosemary and
Gary Eskola, Kimball, and Bob Pertile, Bessemer; and numerous nieces and
nephews. Besides his parents, Hank was preceded in
death by an infant son, Eugene Leo, in 1954; son-in-law, Earl Maki, Oct. 5,
2013; sister-in-law, Mary Pertile; and brother-in-law, Bill Pertile, in
2013. Out of respect for Hank's wishes, cremation
has taken place. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated
Thursday, March 13, at 11 a.m., preceded by visitation in the St. Joseph Family
Room at 10 a.m., at Our Lady of Peace Church in Ironwood, with the Rev. Robb
Jurkovich, celebrant. Luncheon will follow in the parish
hall. Rite of Committal and interment will be in
Riverside Cemetery, Ironwood, in the spring. Memorial contributions may be made to the
Salvation Army. Arrangements have been entrusted to
McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ironwood, where
condolences may be expressed online at mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com.