Dwain Vangsness

Published 12:00 am Thursday, November 13, 2008

Dwain Norris Vangsness, age 78 of Adams, Minn. died Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2008 at St. Marys Hospital, Rochester, surrounded by his family.
Dwain was born March 12, 1930 in Kenyon, Minn., the son of Clarence and Esther (Foss) Vangsness. He was raised on the family farm and graduated from Kenyon High School in 1948. He was drafted into the Army and served in the signal corps during the Korean Conflict. He married Beverly Nelson on Nov. 12, 1955 at Holden Lutheran Church in rural Kenyon. He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1959 with a master’s degree in agricultural education. The family moved to Adams where he taught high school agriculture and later agricultural farm management for 35 years.
Dwain was awarded the Minnesota Agriculture Teacher of the Year Award in 1984. He was also inducted into the Mower County Livestock Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Minnesota Future Farmers of America Hall of Fame in 2005.
Dwain was an active member of Little Cedar Lutheran Church in Adams, the American Legion, Adams Fire Department, Lions Club and Habitat for Humanity; he was a 4-H leader and especially enjoyed being chairman of the Southland Faith Community Food Shelf. His favorite pastimes were bowling and playing cards with his buddies at Bubble’s cafe in Adams. He was an avid fan of the Minnesota Twins. He passed away before finding out that Twins pitcher Pat Neshek needs surgery and will miss the 2009 season.
He will be greatly missed by his friends, family and cat, “Peggy.”
Dwain is survived by his wife: Beverly Jean Vangsness, Adams, Minn.; sons: Steven (June) Vangsness, Ideldale, Colo., David (Julie) Vangsness, Bloomington, Minn.; daughter: Karen (Randy) Trom, Green Bay, Wis.; granddaughters: Amanda Trom, Royal Oak, Mich., : Rachel Trom, Green Bay; brothers: Leverene (Pat) Vangsness, Faribault, Minn.,: Clayton Vangsness, Kenyon.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008 at Little Cedar Lutheran Church with the Reverends Shari Mason and Allen Gunderson officiating. Interment will be in the Little Cedar Lutheran Cemetery in Adams with Adams Post No. 146 American Legion in charge of military rites. Visitation will be at Adams Funeral Home on Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. and at the church on Friday for one hour before the service. Casket Bearers will be David Weness, Roger Weness, George Struthers, Lynn Sathre, Leroy Swanson and Wayne Pike.

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