Frank A. Vandehey, age 80, of Marshfield passed away at The House of the Dove on June 30 after a brave battle with cancer. He will be deeply missed by his wife of 59 years, Patricia (Teska), and his nine children: Vicki (Bruce) King, Debra (Richard) Parsons, Nancy (Mike) Hamilton, Cindy (Tim) Federwitz, William, Sue (Doug) Clausnitzer, Jon (Annette), Judy (Mark) Ries, and Tom (Brenda). He is also survived by five siblings: Donald (Shirley), Leonard (Cathy), Margaret (Tom) Kraus, Millie Schill, and Mickey (Roberta). Frank was also the very proud grandfather of 18 and great-grandfather of 5.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard and Ione; two brothers, Larry and Jimmy; and a sister, Sister Marietta.
Frank was usually a man of few words, until you got him recalling stories from his childhood or his early days in the trucking business. Then all bets were off. He had a huge, generous heart and took immense pride in his family and all they've accomplished. He leaves behind many wonderful memories, including trips to the Wisconsin Dells, midnight pizzas from the Uptown Bar, Sunday evenings with the family crowded around the TV to watch the FBI and Bonanza, the quest for the perfect Brandy Manhattan, and his insatiable love for the Green Bay Packers. He was also a long-standing member of the Marshfield Elks, Lodge #665.
As President & CEO of Mid-State Truck Service from 1965 to 1998, Frank grew the business from a modest one-unit shop into a successful, multi-location enterprise that continues today under his sons. His love for all things truck-related and his relationships with staff and customers from over the years remained strong until the end. In fact, some of his last words were, "I need to meet with the Navistar folks before they left for the weekend." His very last words were, "I love you."
Services will be held on Thursday, July 9, at Rembs Funeral Home with visitation at 1:00 PM, Elks Lodge of Sorrow at 2:30 PM, and memorial service at 3:00 PM.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent in Frank's name to the Everett Roehl Marshfield Public Library or the new grizzly bear enclosure at the Marshfield Wildwood Zoo.
Condolences may be sent online to www.rembsfh.com
