Fern Vanderpoel

Fern Vanderpoel, 91-year-old resident of Onamia, MN passed away on December 2, 2016 at the Mille Lacs Long Term Care Center in Onamia, MN. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, December 9, 2016 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hillman, MN. Interment will be in the Onamia Veteran’s Cemetery. Visitation will be held 1 hour prior to services at Immanuel Lutheran Church. Fern entered Mille Lacs Long Term care in 2000. We have been blessed by their wonderful care. Memorials preferred to Mille Lacs Long Term Care Activities Department. Arrangements are with the Shelley Funeral Chapel of Onamia. Fern was born to William and Rose Falenschek on November 5, 1925 near Pine Center, MN Fern lived and worked at Reiley’s Lakeview Lodge while attending high school. She graduated from Onamia High School in 1943. Fern moved to Minneapolis where she worked at the Bemis Bag Company and later in the offices of Powers Department Store. As World War II, ended her future husband, Donald, came home from the Marine Corp. Fern and Donald were married on January 26, 1946. They lived in a picturesque stone cottage while constructing a new home and beginning a dairy farm. Fern kept busy with farm chores, a big garden, canning, sewing and raising four children. Don and Fern took many vacations throughout the United States and Canada while reliable neighborhood boys took care of the chores on the dairy farm. Square dancing was a great hobby that took them to dances all around Minnesota and Wisconsin. In 1988 they retired from dairy farming and raised registered shorthorn beef cattle. Fern has been an active member of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Hillman. She has been involved in Bible study, quilting and various fund raisers. Fern has always been a great cook and enjoyed serving her family and anyone who happened to stop by. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were her pride and joy. Fern was preceded in death by her parents, Rose and William Falenschek; husband, Donald Vanderpoel; son, Russell Vanderpoel; grandson, Glen Vanderpoel; and brother, Floyd Falenschek. She is survived by son, Dennis Vanderpoel, of Pierz; daughters, Karen (Steve) Melhouse of Cannon Falls, Linda (Louis) Vanderpoel of Minneapolis; sister, Arleen Bak of Golden Valley; brother, Melvin Falenschek (Pat) of Brainerd; Her grandchildren, Colette (Pat) Stumpf of Pierz, Melissa (Chad) Bailey of Royalton, Emily Myers (Jeff) of Lakeville, Karla (Brad) Setter of Steamboat Springs, CO, Pauline (Tony) Beman of Eau Claire, WI and Elijah Vanderpoel of Minneapolis. She has 11 great grandchildren, Hunter and Jaden Bailey, Mitch, Luke, Joseph and Julia Myers, Silas and Micah Setter, and Caden, Quinn and Jacob Beman.

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Fern Vanderpoel

November 5, 1925 - December 2, 2016