Fred “Fritz” Vandenberg

Fred “Fritz” Vandenberg

Jan. 8, 1931 – Jan. 2, 2020

Frederick  “Fritz” Henry Vandenberg, 88, of David City died Jan. 2, 2020, at Bryan Health West in Lincoln at the age of 88 years, 11 months and 25 days. He was born to Henry and Helen (Litty) on Jan. 8, 1931, in Brainard. He was a member of St. Francis (Center) church in David City. After moving to David City, he became a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. He was a fourth-degree knight with the Knights of Columbus. He served in the United States Army from 1953 to 1955, stationed at Sandia Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Fred was united in marriage to Joan Pflughaupt on Aug. 24, 1954, at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Seward. They were blessed with four children.

Fred was a devoted husband, had celebrated 65 years of marriage and loved his kids and grandkids. He loved to go to auctions and pick up the 25-cent boxes, was an engineer of mismatch of inventions (ask his boys), he was generous with his time and had a big heart. He was well known in this area.

Throughout his lifetime, he was a farmer for 30-plus years in the Brainard area and after that drove a propane truck in David City, retired from working for the city of David City and then continued to do odd jobs.

Fred was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Helen Vandenberg and Henry and Alma (Schomburg) Pflughaupt; sister, Beatrice (Vandenberg) and George Hotovy; brother, Ernest “Dutch” Vandenberg; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Aloha (Pflughaupt) and Clarence “Barney” Pozehl; and daughter-in-law, Becky (Tate) Vandenberg.

Fred is survived by his wife, Joan; sons, Nick and Linda (Brokaw) of David City, Greg and Kathy (Wood) of Seward, Steve of Emerald and Jeff and Judy (Kallenbach) of Seward; grandchildren, Jayme and Harley Kelly of Lincoln, Amanda Oliver (Jon) of West Point, Darek and Nicole (Sypal) Vandenberg of Staplehurst, Jeff Jr. and Kelly (Newsome) Vandenberg of Omaha, Jennifer (Vandenberg) and Curt Thomas of Lincoln, Joshua and Shelly (Besch) of Omaha, Chad and Sarah (Jedlicka) of Dike, Iowa, Carl and Nisma (Dahood) of Lincoln, Angie (Tate) and Mike Hertzel of Lincoln, Autumn Tate of Lincoln, Marty Allen and Rochelle (Mayfield) of Utah and Brice Allen and Tiffany (Prothman) of David City; 14 great-grandchildren and 12 step-grandchildren; sister, Marie and Norm Hoeft of David City; and sister-in-law, Sally Vandenberg of Brainard.

A rosary service with the Knights of Columbus was held Jan. 5, 2020, at Kracl Funeral Chapel, followed by a memorial mass on Jan. 6 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in David City, with the Rev. Jay Buhman as celebrant. Committal with military rites was in St. Mary’s Cemetery in David City. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the family. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.revbluejeans.com.