HURON — Norman Van Vugt, 89, 10 months and 13 days, of Huron, passed away Saturday, May 20, 2017, at the Huron Regional Medical Center.
His funeral service will be at 2 p.m., Thursday, May 25, at the Riverview United Methodist Church. Burial will be in Restlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery with military rites by the Huron Veterans Council. Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, May 24, at the Kuhler Funeral Home with his family present from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday evening.
Norman Lester Van Vugt was born July 7, 1927, on the family farm in Westfield, N.D. to Gerrit and Katherine (Compaan) Van Vugt.
Norman attended country school by Westfield through the 8th grade. He attended high school for one year at Strasburg, N.D., riding horseback for three miles and the rest of the way with a friend in an old Chevy; earning his G.E.D. later in life. Afterward, he worked various jobs while also working with his dad on the family farm.
At eighteen years of age he enlisted in the U.S. Navy for two years. After returning from the Navy he worked one year for K.E.M. Electric in Linton, N.D. He returned to farming on the home place for two years. Norman was then employed in Sterling, Ill. for a while before working with his brother, Ed, doing mechanical and electrical work until 1953.
He was united in marriage to Delphia “Del” Weidmeier on March 28, 1952, in Herreid, S.D. In 1953, they moved to Huron where he worked for the S.D. Department of Transportation for thirty-seven years. He retired as Project Engineer from the DOT in 1989.
After retiring they spent winters in Texas for eighteen years. While in Texas Norman spent many days helping build homes for those in need in Progreso, Mexico. He loved working in the yard and camping.
Norman was a lifetime member of SDSEO, the VFW, the Good Sam Club, the SDRVOA, a longtime member of the Riverview United Methodist Church, and the American Legion. He was very active in the community and enjoyed helping with the Meals on Wheels program.
Grateful for having shared his life are his wife Delphia Van Vugt of Huron; his two sons Brad (Dixie) Van Vugt of Huron, and Monte (Marie) Van Vugt of Black Hawk; his daughter Amy (Jim) Iverson of Huron; and his five grandchildren Matthew Van Vugt, Michael Van Vugt, Jamye Iverson, Angel (Randy) Wilhelm, and Allanna Iverson.
He was preceded in death by his parents Katherine and Gerrit; brothers Edward Van Vugt, Peter Van Vugt, and John Van Vugt; and sisters Ann Dornbush, Angeline Vanderlaan, and Helen Dornbush.
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