DON VANDEBERG obituary

Don Vandeberg, 78, died Wednesday, March 24, 2010, with family by his side after a brave battle with pulmonary fibrosis. He was born July 19, 1931, in Havre, Mont., the ninth child of Leonard and Lena Vandeberg. He grew up in Havre and graduated from Havre High School in 1949. In October 1949, he married Juanita Nelson of Havre. They had three children, Michael, Donita and Cathy. He was employed with the railroad and then moved to Great Falls to work for Montana Flour Mills. Later they moved to Sacramento, Calif., where he was employed as a traffic manager for Spreckle Sugar Company. Don and Juanita moved to Hayden Lake, Idaho, to enjoy their retirement. Besides golfing, Don kept busy with his work with the Hayden Lake Water District board, volunteer work at the Kootenai Community Hospital and president of the condo association. In February 1999, he married Donna Larson. They lived in Hayden Lake before moving to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. He is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Juanita; son, Michael; daughter Donita; brothers, Alfred and Walter; sisters, Mary Ann Ness, Lois Erickson, Charlotte Hertsgaard, Alice Bunton and Roscelia Gonder. He is survived by his wife, Donna; daughter, Cathy Conner of Arlington, Texas; brother, Elvin (Doris) Vandeberg or Tocoma, Wash .; sisters, Vivian Sullins of Jackson, Miss., Shirley (Ivan) Nelson of Bellevue, Wash., and Sharon (Frank) Bennett of Coeur d'Alene; stepdaughters, Lorraine (Frank) Verploegen, Dana (Dennis) Cline and Wanda Larson, all of Havre, and Karla (Marc) Ballard of Erie, Penn .; stepson, Wade (Nancy) Larson of Billings, Mont .; three grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; 12 step-grandchildren; and six step-great-grandchildren. Arrangements are being made by the Yates Funeral Home. Private family graveside service will be held at a later date. The family suggests donations be made to Salvation Army of Coeur d'Alene by the request of North Idaho Advance Care in recognition of the care given to Don, the Women's Center, 850 N. 4th St., Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814 or the donor's choice.