Leo "Harry" VanderMay Obituary

Leo Harold VanderMay, better known as “Harry” by his family and friends, was born September 1, 1922, in Mitchell, South Dakota to Leo Nordas and Katherine (Crampton) VanderMay. He attended Plainview Elementary and graduated from Wanblee High School in 1940.

He was inducted into the United States Army on December 30, 1944, at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Harry was an auto mechanic and truck driver for a medical unit in the Philippines and then in occupied Japan. After the war, Harry moved to Minnesota living in the twin cities and working for his future brother-in-law. On June 10, 1950, he was united in marriage to Norberta “Bertie” Poeppel in Minneapolis. They moved to the farm/ranch northeast of LongValley in 1950 where he built his own house using a book as his only guide.

Harry loved farming and worked on his own equipment, knowledgeable in many things from electrical to plumbing and re-purposing pieces of junk, not into art but into a very practical piece of equipment. He loved to drive out into the back country discovering places he had never seen before. He was a voracious reader, especially of Westerns, local history, and of WWII stories.

Harry was a member of the Sacred Heart Parish in Norris, helping to move the church to its current location. He was also a member of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in Kadoka.

Harry is survived by his four children, Paul (Ruby) VanderMay, Diane (Baxter) Hogen, Vern VanderMay who cared for him the last five months of his life, and David VanderMay; 4 grandchildren, Bryce VanderMay, Elijah and Isaiah Hogen, and Emelia VanderMay; 5 step grandchildren; 6 step great-grandchildren; two sisters-in-law, Betty VanderMay and Norma VanderMay; and a host of other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife Bertie on July 31, 2017; his parents; one sister, Irene Zickrick; two brothers, Loyd and Francis VanderMay; and a daughter-in-law, Anita VanderMay.

A visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, March 2, with a prayer service at 7 p.m. at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in Kadoka.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 3, at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in Kadoka.

Interment with military honors will be held at the Kadoka Cemetery.

Service Details

MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL
Saturday, March 3, 2018 - 10:00 a.m.
Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church
Kadoka, South Dakota

CELEBRANT
Father Gary Oreshoski

MUSIC
JoAnne Stilwell - Pianist
Diane Hogen and Ruby VanderMay - Vocalists
“The King of Love”
Jesus the Very Thought of Thee”
“Shepherd Me O God”
“Abide With Me”

USHERS
Dan VanderMay - Scott Bauman

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS
Mark and Cindy VanderMay

LECTOR
Janet VanderMay

ALTAR SERVERS
Dillon VanderMay - Tel VanderMay

PALLBEARERS
Tom Zickrick - Pat VanderMay - Kevin VanderMay
Bryce VanderMay - Elijah Hogen - Isaiah Hogen

HONORARY PALLBEARERS
All Relatives and Friends in Attendance

INTERMENT WITH MILITARY HONORS
Kadoka Cemetery - Kadoka, South Dakota

Guest Book

Thanks for serving
~ A Veteran (3/6/2018)

My condolences to the family. Harry and Bertie were lovely people.
~ Holly Boomer Martin, SD (3/8/2018)

Thinking of you Dear Family!! Cherish the precious memories!
~ Merilee Grimes Kadoka, SD (3/11/2018)

Uncle Harry always had so many great life stories to tell. I'm so grateful that I was able to visit him and Aunt Bertie last spring. I got to hear some wonderful stories about his childhood. Eternal rest grant unto him and let perpetual light shine upon him.
~ Mary Setera Miles City, MT (3/6/2018)