- Vande Hey, Roland A. "Rolly the Hammer"
Roland A. Vande Hey, Wrightstown, age 88, died Sunday, February 10, 2008, at Franciscan Care Center. He was born in Wrightstown on November 11, 1919, to the late Henry and Patronella (Kerkhoff) Vande Hey. Roland married Mary Rita School on Sept. 26, 1944, at St. Francis Catholic Church in Hollandtown, Wis. He was a lifelong member of St. Paul Catholic Church in Wrightstown and was a member of the Holy Name Society. Roland farmed and did construction work most of his life. He helped start Badger Northland from its beginning in the basement of an old cheese factory in Askeaton. After farming, he worked at Schmidt Farm Equipment in Hollandtown until his retirement. Before and after his retirement, he spent many hours knocking down silos. Later, his sons joined him, even traveling out of state to knock them down. That is how he eventually became known as "Rolly the Hammer." Later he took great pride in keeping lawns at the Wrightstown schools trimmed and neat until his illness prevented him from continuing. Roland's hobbies included bowling, fishing, golfing and playing cards with his family and friends. Roland loved his family dearly.
He was loved and will be sadly missed by his wife of 63 years Mary Rita; his five children: Gene (Sandy), Wrightstown; Dennis, Greenleaf; Gary (special friend Laurie Beaudet), Madison; Allan, De Pere; Ron (special friend Jill Van Groll), and his extended family Al (Susan) Christensen, Wrightstown; ten grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; brothers and sister: Orville, Virgil (Sandy), Mary Ellen Sprangers, and Gerald "Butch" (Jean); sisters and brothers-in-law: Lauretta Vande Hey Sanderfoot, Beverly Vande Hey and Art Van Handel; Mary Rita's family Eleanor Micke, Louis (Arlene) School, Bob (Elaine) School and Art (Marie) School. Roland is further survived by many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
In addition to his parents, Roland was preceded in death by his infant granddaughter, Mary; brothers and sisters: Howard and wife Johanna, Ralph, Gordon and wife Margaret, Mark and wife Florence, Myron "Mike" and wife Murilla, Aloysius, Eugene, Hilary, Clayton, Vivian and husband Ray Eisenman, Marleene and her first husband Lawrence Sprangers, and her second husband LeRoy Griesbach and Bernice Van Handel; and brothers and sisters-in-law: Leonard Sprangers, Patricia Vande Hey, Ray Micke, Howard (Evelyn) School, Florence (Potter) Budzinski and Paul (Gladys) School.
Visitation will occur Friday, February 15, 2008, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at ST. PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH, Wrightstown. A Rosary will be said at 6:30 p.m. Visitation will continue Saturday after 10:00 a.m. until time of Mass at 11:00 a.m. at church. The Rev. Msgr. John H. Schuh will officiate. Internment will be at St. Paul Cemetery, Wrightstown.
The family would like to thank all of the people at Franciscan Care, Unit 2, in Appleton, for the excellent and loving care Roland was given during his stay there. They were like a part of his family and he loved them all.
O'CONNELL FUNERAL SERVICES
2020 E. Main Street
Little Chute 920-759-2951
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1919 - 2008 (88 years)
Obituary
