Herman Kaldenberg

Herman Kaldenberg Herman Kaldenberg, age 96, of Lone Rock, died Friday, November 13, 2020. While death at age 96 is certainly not ‘unexpected’, it never ceases to surprise us. Herman was born in Red Rock Township in Marion County, Iowa, to George and Eva (Main) Kaldenberg on January 5, 1924. As a young child he moved with his family to southwest Wisconsin settling first in the Lone Rock area, later moving to Reedsburg and then North Freedom and finally to the Spring Green area. He was listed on the membership roll of the Lone Rock Congregational Church at age 2 and held the position of the longest tenured member of the church. He attended elementary school at the Maple Hill School near North Freedom and at the North Freedom Public School. He completed two years of high school in Baraboo. As World War II went into full swing, and though he could have avoided military service with a farm deferment, he chose to enlist in the U. S. Army. He was on a ship to the Philippines when they learned of President Franklin Roosevelt’s death. He was part of the ‘mop-up’ after the Battle of Leyte, and moved on to Davao. He was on a ship heading to Japan and would have been in the first wave of infantry to hit the shores of Japan when they learned of the bombings. He spent the rest of his tour in Kyushu and mustered out in 1946 as a Communication Sergeant. After his service in the U. S. Army protecting our country’s freedoms during World War II, he spent some time in Chicago, Illinois, learning body work on cars. Returning home to Wisconsin, he took a shine to LaVina Schweppe. Their families were neighbors and good friends. When LaVina was 10, she confided that ‘some day she would marry that guy.’ One night at a dance at Sprecher’s Bar in Leland, he invited her to a duck feed and their 63+ year odyssey started on March 7, 1950, when they dressed in their Sunday best, picked up LaVina’s brother and his new bride, Herman’s niece - Junior and Alda Schweppe – and headed to Blackhawk to see the preacher. After they celebrated their first kiss as a married couple they stopped in a local establishment near Mazomanie (now called Rookies) to “collect a debt” so they could take a quick honeymoon. While in the bar, the other patrons asked why he was all dressed up and he replied, “I just got married.” When they didn’t believe him, he returned to the car to get his bride, and arrived back inside to a bar lined up with drinks to celebrate. (Now that’s the way to do a wedding reception!) About three weeks after the wedding, they packed all they had in their car and moved to Idaho Falls near Herman’s sister, Fran, where they stayed for a couple of years. They were on their way to Ely, Nevada, where Herman was to start a body shop for a car dealership, and what was to be a quick stop back in Wisconsin turned in to a permanent one. They lived in the North Freedom area for a while, spent many years in the Spring Green area, and their last years near Lone Rock. The family grew quickly increasing by four children: Kris (Bill) Scharfenberg of Mauston, Vickie (Normand) Bedard of Spring Green, Walter, known as Butch Kaldenberg of Brainard Station, New York, and Pauline Borgen of Rhinelander. Herman was quite proud of his family, especially when the grandchildren and great-grandchildren arrived making the immediate family gatherings a reunion of sorts. Herman always welcomed the nieces and nephews, the kids’ friends, and anyone else into his home and his life. He took great pride in mentoring his nieces and nephews, and many young folks in the area, keeping them out of trouble, teaching them what he knew and even some of what he didn’t know. He was quite resourceful and could figure out most anything. He and LaVina were instrumental in promoting the community, their favorite service organizations, youth activities, and helping out wherever they saw a need. Herman was well known for his work with cars, farming, helping “Bine” raising chickens, calves, rabbits and whatever, and selling auto parts, irrigation equipment and whatever else he thought someone would want to buy. His side endeavors included being a landlord buying, fixing up and renting homes and apartments. His real treasure was his 1919 Oldsmobile truck that was purchased new by LaVina’s cousins from the Oldsmobile garage in Prairie du Sac. Proud of his service in the Army, he was active in the American Legion Post 253 in Spring Green, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9336 in Arena. Herman served on the Selective Service draft board in the late 1960s during the Vietnam war. After having the opportunity to go to Washington D.C. on the 2010 inaugural VetsRoll bus trip for veterans, he and LaVina became active fundraisers for the future VetsRoll trips. He was an active member of the Franklin #16 Masonic Lodge in Lone Rock. Herman loved to read. He liked politics and a good discussion. He would talk politics or whatever with whomever would listen, and many looked forward to his morning coffee stops. Herman’s ‘Letters to the Editor’ were often a topic of discussion whether you agreed or disagreed with him. Many in the area looked forward to his letters and we still get comments on how much they’ve missed them of late. At age 88, he was known as the oldest person in Wisconsin to be elected to serve on a school board, and while serving on the River Valley School Board he received his high school diploma at age 90. Thereafter he would say “But nobody has offered me a job yet.” He had a great sense of humor. He loved a good game of Euchre, Pinochle, 500, sheepshead, or other card game if someone pulled out the deck of cards. Along with his work on cars and trucks, he also enjoyed driving them and took his family on many road trips from coast to coast. Later in life he became the passenger as Vickie and Pauline continued the road-trip tradition. Even during his final hospital stay he was asking the girls to think about a road trip back to Texas or out to New York to see the relatives. Herman’s goal in life was to live to be 100. He told his grandkids that if he didn’t make it, that far, “it was a good, long, run.” He truly enjoyed life to the fullest and always looked forward to something. Herman was well known for his “grandiose ideas” and his quick brain, and he continued making plans for one project or another until the very end. He’s probably still planning something…In recent years, Herman had reinstituted an annual family gathering that included both his and LaVina’s families. Unfortunately, we were not able to hold it in 2020 due to covid, but we have a reservation for the second weekend in August, 2021, at the Log Cabin Village near Reedsburg. Mark you calendar. We are hoping that 2021 finds us able to safely gather. We will let you know. Herman’s wife LaVina “Bine”, his parents George and Eva Kaldenberg, son-in-law Bruce Borgen, and all of his siblings led the way down the eternal path before him. They were George Edward and Gladys Kaldenberg, Dorothy and George Albert Girling, Lucille and Paul Budy, Virgina and Martin Buringa, Frances and Walter Davenport, and Evelyn and Harold Davidson. Also preceding him in death were LaVina’s parents and siblings: Walter and Ida (Daniels) Schweppe, Junior and Alda (Girling) Schweppe, and Rosella “Lolly” and Dr. Melvin Seeliger. Herman is survived by his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, sister and brother in law, Clarabel [CeeBee] and William McLeod, and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. Grandchildren include: Billie Jo (Paul Page) Scharfenberg and her daughter Sydnie (and Dan Stebler); James (Meg) Scharfenberg; Thomas (Jessica) Scharfenberg and their sons Olsen and Ivan; Patrick, Emilie, Jean Claude, Katie (Russell Burton) Bedard, and Lisa Rudd with daughters Lauren, Jenna and Alison; Zaley (Emily VanDeusen) Kaldenberg with son Eulen; Natasha (Wayne) Ecklor with children: Josiah, Tapanga, Dylan, Leonel, RaeLyn, and Tristan; Caleb Jensen; Carrie (Seth) Rasch and children Sebastian, RaeLynn and Sullivan; Leonard (Katrina) Borgen with sons Hans and Henrik; and Amanda (Jeff) Fuls with sons Zachary and Micah. And we cannot forget all of the exchange student-grandkids – Little Thomas, Big Thomas, Carina, Marina, Irina, Christian, Nadine, and Tamara. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to the staff at the VA Hospital in Madison who took such good care of Dad during a difficult and trying time; to the Spring Green and Lone Rock ambulance services, and to all who have reached out to us since Dad became ill. You will be in our hearts forever. A Celebration of Herman’s Life will be planned at a later date when we can safely gather together telling “Herman and LaVina” stories. Memorials may be directed to the family. They will be directed toward some of his favorite projects. (Mail to: 34390 County Line Drive, Spring Green. WI. 53588) In the meantime, celebrate Herman with a dish of ice cream, a root beer float, or a bag of Cheetos.