- Roche J. "Bud" Van De Hey, age 87, of Sutherlin, OR, passed away Monday, N ovember 21, 2005. He was born in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, on January 17, 191 8, to Jack and Josephine (Zwick) Van De Hey. Roche married Arvilla Kemp en in Hollandtown, Wisconsin, on June 18, 1940. In 1943, Roche started wo rk in assembly at Manitowoc Engineering Corporation in Manitowoc, Wisconsi n. Along with many accomplishments he designed the VICON controlled torq ue converter and after 23 years as Chief Development Engineer he left Mani towoc Engineering. Roche served his country during World War II at which t ime he had seven military deferments because of the importance of his j ob building submarines for the war effort. Roche was well traveled and con sidered Oregon "God's Country." He moved his family to Sutherlin, Orego n, in 1966 to start V & W Manufacturing and later Van De Hey Track Transpo rt in Oakland, Oregon. He was a pioneer in the development of the track tr ansporter responsible for the sea lift of modules on the North Slope of t he Alaska oil fields. These huge machines that transported multi-ton loa ds went on to be used in nuclear power plants and mining industries wor ld wide. Roche was a creative inventor and introduced new lift crane conce pts with telescopic booms and hydraulic expanded crawlers. Roche was instr umental in the development and later owned and operated the Sutherlin Knol ls Golf Course, restaurant and lounge.He was a member of the Sutherlin Lions Club, Catholic Knights and was chos en Citizen of the Year by the Sutherlin Chamber of Commerce in 1976. He en joyed fishing, crabbing, traveling and trips to Seven Feathers Casino.Roche is survived by his 11 children; four sons: Dick (Mona), Butch, and G erald (Judy) of Eugene, Oregon; and Lee (Angie) Van De Hey of Oakland, Ore gon; seven daughters: Sandra (Richard), Brady, Donna (Robert), Ellio tt of Salem; Penny (Dennis) Towne, Debra (Herman) Stonebraker of Lake Oswe go; Kim (John) Hensley of Eugene; Pamela Hennricks and Rochelle (Mark) Cor nilsen of Oakland, Oregon; 22 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren; th ree brothers: Robert (Rita) Van De Hey, Lloyd (Pat) Van De Hey and Conr ad (Dorothy) Van De Hey; and four sisters: Majella Ambrosius, Kathy (Rus s) Beck, Theresa Mae Eiting and Marie (Dick) Reetz.He was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Arvilla; and a brothe r, Elmer Van De Hey of Wisconsin.Visitation will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. followed by the Rosa ry and Funeral Service at 1 p.m. on Saturday, November 26, 2005, at St. Fr ancis Xavier Catholic Church in Sutherlin, Oregon.Those who wish may make a contribution to the Sutherlin Lions Club, throu gh the Chapel of the Firs. Chapel of the Firs, Sutherlin, OR, is assisti ng the family with arrangements.
Sutherlin's Roche Van De Hey had a mind for mechanics
Added by kempenj on 22 Nov 2007
Sutherlin's Roche Van De Hey had a mind for mechanics
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ADAM PEARSON, apearson@newsreview.info
March 19, 2006
SUTHERLIN -- Roche "Bud" Van De Hey hardly ever took a day off, and if he did, he surely didn't spend it watching TV or reading the newspaper. He was either working on his small farm or designing engineering innovations -- there was never time to waste.
"He did what he had to do," Jerry Van De Hey said of his father.
With a wife and 11 kids to support, Van De Hey's surviving children say he had no other choice.
Van De Hey, 87, passed away Nov. 21, 2005, due to complications of a stroke he had suffered 14 months prior. His wife, Arvilla Van De Hey, preceded him in death. She died of pneumonia at the age of 84 in 2003.
Van De Hey's family says he will never be forgotten. His hard work and commitment to his family left an indelible impression on his children.
"We were all expected to work hard. He taught the value of work," Donna Elliot said.
Before moving his family from Manitowoc, Wisc., to Sutherlin in 1966, Van De Hey taught his family how to work on a small farm. He worked on the farm also, at the same time working for Manitowoc Engineering Corporation.
"We were introduced to what farm life was even though we didn't have a big farm," Elliott said.
Despite Van De Hey's eighth-grade education, he advanced from Manitowoc's assembly line to engineer. Along with many accomplishments, he designed the VICON controlled torque converter for Manitowoc.
"He's probably the most intelligent man I met in my life," Van De Hey's close friend, Wayne Calder of Sutherlin, said.
Van De Hey worked his way to chief development engineer at Manitowoc before leaving after 23 years.
During World War II, Van De Hey received seven military deferments due to the importance of his knowledge of building submarine components at Manitowoc.
Rochelle Cornilsen said that by the time her father left the engineering company, "he had more patents than the rest of the college grads."
Van De Hey also worked as a salesman for Manitowoc, traveling the country and demonstrating his company's products to potential customers. It was during his travels that he decided to move his family to Oregon, going back to Wisconsin and calling Oregon "God's country."
"He always talked about moving to Oregon," Pam Hennricks said.
In 1966, Van De Hey started V & W Manufacturing in Sutherlin and later Van De Hey Track Transport in Oakland.
His pioneering in track transporters -- which lifted multi-ton loads on the north slope of the Alaskan oil fields -- made him well known around the world.
"He was actually a very kind man," Calder said.
In fact, not long after Van De Hey met Calder, he offered him startup money for Calder's A-1 Rent-all in Sutherlin.
"If it wasn't for him, I probably wouldn't be in business today," Calder said.
Hennricks said her father was always very generous and "he always had to pick up the tab" after dinner.
Van De Hey's children say he never quit working once he retired. He was always visiting, sometimes just to tinker on things that he thought needed improvements.
In his later years, Van De Hey and his wife enjoyed going to Seven Feathers Hotel & Casino Resort to play the slot machines, fishing on the Columbia River and traveling cross-country in an RV.
Throughout his life, Van De Hey stressed the importance of hard work and often said, "Nothing is impossible. Impossible takes a little longer to figure out."
"I don't think any of us are where we are today without him teaching us how to get things done," Jerry said.
Van De Hey is survived by his 11 children, including sons Jerry Van De Hey, Richard Van De Hey and Daniel "Butch" Van De Hey, all of Eugene, and Lee Van De Hey of Oakland; daughters Sandra Brady and Donna Elliott, both of Salem, Penelope Towne and Debra Stonebraker, both of Lake Oswego, Kim Hensley of Eugene, and Pamela Hennricks and Rochelle Cornilsen, both of Oakland; along with numerous grandchildren and friends.
* You can reach reporter Adam Pearson at 957-4213 or by e-mail at apearson@newsreview.info.
Obituary
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1918 - 2005 (87 years)
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Obituary
