Vernon Galatz

Vernon Clifford Galatz of Hibbing, MN died Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at Crystal Lake Home in Grand Rapids where he was living with his wife, Norma.  He was born on May 17, 1925 in Chisholm Minnesota; the son of Marie Swanson and Clifford Anderson.  His Father died while he was yet an infant and he, along with his Mother, moved to Hibbing, Minnesota.  Marie then met and married Louis Galatz and Vernon was blessed with the addition of five brothers and seven sisters to his family.

Vernon attended schools in Hibbing.  He left during his senior year in High School, at the age of seventeen, to enlist in the United States Army where he joined the 82nd Airborne Division as a paratrooper.  He participated in four aerial drops during World War II in Europe including the pre-dawn jump into Normandy France on D-Day June 6, 1944 at the age of nineteen.  With an honorable discharge and a Purple Heart he returned to Hibbing in 1946.  He met Norma Jane Nobert on a blind date, arranged by mutual friends, and they were married on August 1, 1946 at the Grace Lutheran Church in Hibbing, Minnesota.

He was a carpenter by trade, a truck driver for the Sherman Mine and a lineman for the Hibbing Public Utilities.  He retired from the Utility in 1986.  In his retirement years he purchased a second home in Arizona and spent the winter months there for over twenty years along with his wife, Norma.  Each year they would journey home to spend Christmas with their family and then return to the Arizona home.  Family and a sense of responsibility were the hallmarks of his life.  His strengths were nurturing, protecting and furthering the lives of those he loved.

He is survived by his wife Norma of 67 years; five children: Larry (Nancy), Russell  (Faith), Gregory (Patsy), Diane (Duane) Pederson and Gail Galatz; four brothers: Chuck, Bill (Carol), Tom, and Sam (Carol); seven sisters: Donna Thellin, Bonnie (Dick) Dilley, Mary Ellen (Bill) Suhonen, Eva (Al) Bement, Annie (Bob) Peroceski, Rose (Harry) Peasley and Bobbi (Bill) Jones; nine grandchildren: Krista (Hank) Van Sickel, Jenna (Kevin) Trenberth, Holly (Karl) Often, Russ Galatz, Amanda (Justin) Lamppa, Joseph Galatz, Patrick (Nacole) Galatz, Duane (Denise) Pederson and Daryl (Theresa) Pederson; and sixteen great grandchildren.

Along with his parents, Vernon was preceded in death by his brother, George; sister-in-law, Evelyn Galatz; brother-in-law, Herbie Thellin; sister-in law, Judy Lierman and brother-in-law Bill Lierman.

Visitation will be held from 10:00 AM until the 11:00 AM funeral service on Monday, May 19th at the Grace Lutheran Church in Hibbing.  The Rev. Steve Breitbarth will officiate.  Burial with military honors will be following the funeral service at the Maple Hill Cemetery in Hibbing, MN.  Pallbearers are; Joseph Galatz, Patrick Galatz, Duane Pederson, Daryl Pederson, Amanda Lamppa, and Krist Van Sickel. Arrangements are with the Dougherty Funeral Home of Hibbing.
Memorials to Grace Lutheran Church, Salvation Army and American Diabetes Association.
To visit Vernon’s online guestbook, please visit us at www.doughertyofhibbing.com

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