Marlan Wayne Vandervort, 80, a lifetime resident of Crookston, MN, passed away peacefully at the Villa St. Vincent on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, with his beloved friends by his side. He was born to doting parents, Marvin and Esther (Qualley) Vandervort on August 16, 1944, in Crookston.
Growing up, Wayne learned early on the value of hard work, which he carried with him throughout his whole life. Wayne was incredibly athletic in high school, demonstrating his skills in Track and Field. After graduation from Central High School in 1963, he joined the United States Army and proudly served until he was honorably discharged in March of 1968. After his time in the Army, Wayne returned to Crookston where he used his ethics of hard work and determination to start his own Construction company with his family, Vandervort Building Company, which he operated for 34 years. In his later years, Wayne continued working doing stump grinding for customers in the local area, carrying his passion for hard work all the way to the end of his working days.
Wayne was known by his friends and family for his remarkable sense of humor, his sensibility, and love for dancing. He would go to dances in East Grand Forks and found a whole community near Phoenix, Arizona, where he could be found during the Minnesota winters, and did this until the Covid pandemic. Wayne still made his way to Arizona during the pandemic but missed dancing greatly during this time. His family and friends know in their hearts Wayne is dancing now, only now it’s on streets of gold. Wayne will be deeply missed by all those who had the privilege of knowing him.
Wayne’s family would like to extend their gratitude to the caregivers at the Villa St. Vincent for their compassion and attention, as well as to the Hospice of the Red River Valley for their gracious caring of Wayne in his last days.
Wayne is survived by 2 sisters, Sandra Vandervort and Joan Lindquist; as well as several other family members and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Marvin and Esther Vandervort; as well as other relatives.
The Funeral Service celebrating Wayne’s life will be at Stenshoel-Houske Funeral Home on Saturday, November 16, 2024, at 2:00 PM, with Pastor Bohler, officiating. Visitation with the family will be held one-hour prior to the service. Please join the family for a brief time of fellowship before travelling to Haflso Cemetery for interment. Services will be livestreamed, the link to which can be found by going to www.stenshoelhouske.com/obituaries, and following the prompts to Wayne’s page.
