William Wayne Sandberg

William “Bill” Sandberg of Rush City, MN passed away Thursday, August 25, 2011 at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Minneapolis at the age of 82. Bill was born November 4, 1928 to William and Olga Marie (Bloom) Sandberg in Rush City. He was one of ten children whose father was the town blacksmith. Bill grew up, graduated from Rush City High School and lived in Rush City all his life. He was inducted into the U.S. Army after high school and served his country in Korea. While in high school, Bill enjoyed shop classes and discovered his life-long career of carpentry. He loved working with wood and was still using an end table he had made for his mother in high school shop class. For a time, Bill worked as a carpenter for Resch Construction in Rush City. He also traveled to the cities daily to work as a carpenter but eventually started his own business; Bill’s Home Improvement. He taught several of his nephews about carpentry and plumbing while they worked with Bill during summers. Bill was known in the area for his innovative work with wood foundations and his ability to build a building or home in its entirety; doing the plumbing, electrical, concrete, etc. In 1962, Bill purchased land on Chippewa Hill, southeast of Rush City and built his A-frame dream home. It would be his home for the next forty seven years. Bill was a founding member of an organization known as the BPA; Bachelors Protective Association, which had many members in the Rush City area. This group even had a float that was involved in many local parades. Most of his BPA friends knew him as “Big Daddy”. Bill was also a member of the Grothe-Jacobson VFW Post # 6692 and the Heath-Perkins American Legion Post # 51. Bill’s hobbies included watching sports, playing Bingo, going to the Casino and meeting friends for coffee every morning at 6 a.m. In his earlier days, Bill was an avid roller-skater and skated at several rinks in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Every Christmas, Bill would make over 600 rosettes and deliver them to his nieces and nephews families. It was a treat they all looked forward to. Bill will be remembered for his smile, his wonderful sense of humor and his optimistic outlook on life. He was a very special person that will be missed by so many. His passing marks the end of an era of Sandberg’s living in Rush City that spanned 113 years. Bill is survived by his nieces and nephews: Barb (Mike) Struss of Pine City, Ron (Diane) Hansen of Pine City, John (Linda) Carlson of Stanchfield, Mark (Jane) Carlson of Pine City, Bruce (Barb) Carlson of Rush City, Karen (Bruce) Eveland of Backus, Robert Gustafson of Danbury, Wisconsin, Kathy (Steve) Swanson of Apple Valley, Betty (Roland) Rasmussen of Edina, Nan (Ron) Hult of North Branch, George (Claire) Jones Jr. of Dallas, Texas; many great nieces and nephews Bill was preceded in death by his parents William & Olga (Bloom) Sandberg, brothers: Elwin “Red” Sandberg, Kenny (Gretchen) Sandberg, Merle “Bud” Sandberg, sisters: Agnes (George) Jones, Orpha (Amos) Carlson, Althea (Algot) Gustafson, Marion (Russell) Hansen, infant sisters Frances, Evelyn. Pastor Steven Swanson will officiate at funeral services: 11:00 A.M. Tuesday (8/30/2011) at the Olson Chapel in Rush City with a time of visitation and reviewal one hour prior to the funeral. Music will be provided by a great nephew Dan Carlson and organist Dianne Kirchberg. Casket bearers are John Carlson, Bruce Carlson, Mark Carlson, Ron Hansen, Mike Struss, Bob Gustafson and Ron Hult with the interment in the Mission Covenant Cemetery in Rush City. Military honors will be provided by the Grothe-Jacobson VFW and the Heath Perkins American Legion. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the Funeral and Cremation Service~Olson Chapel of Rush City, MN. www.funeralandcremationservice.com