Alvin Andrew Vanderwall
June 2, 1910 — June 13, 2005
Al was born June 2, 1910, in Phillips, Wis., and died June 13, 2005, at the age of 95. He was the second of eight children born to Joseph and Josephine Vanderwall. Times were tough - the winters were extremely cold and there was very little work. Al's dad, Joe, decided to go out to Oregon to get a job as a lumber millwright. The family came by train later. Al's mom and seven children spent four long days to come across country. The family first settled in Rainier, and then later to Oswego Street in North Portland. Al worked hard as a young boy, first at a grocery store and later in the Cooperage in St. Johns. He gave most of the money he earned to his mom to help out with family expenses. He attended Roosevelt High School, where he played football until a knee injury put him on crutches for three months. He was a very good student and was offered an internship at the local bank during his senior year. The bank later became U.S. National Bank of Oregon. Al continued to work at U.S. Bank and a few years later he met Norrene Johnston from Beach, N.D. Al and Norrene were married on Norrene's family farm back in North Dakota on June 15, 1936. The newlyweds came back to Oregon and settled in North Portland. Al worked at U.S. Bank and Norrene at Sears Roebuck. The world was changing and World War II broke out, so Al served his country by enlisting in the Navy. He was in the Seventh Fleet and served almost four years, much of it in the South Pacific. After the war ended, Al returned home to continue working at the bank. He and Norrene had two sons, Edgar and Tom. Al continued his banking career and got a degree from the American Banking Institute. He became a branch manager and had a total of 44 years with U.S. Bank. He was well respected by the community, and was an active member in the Kiwanis Club for over 45 years. Al's passion in life was fishing for salmon and steelhead. He would often get up early before work and go fishing. He loved to smoke spring Chinook salmon in his backyard and share it with friends and family. Al caught over 957 winter steelhead from 1941 to 1982. Al also enjoyed swimming. He was an incredible swimmer and in his prime, he swam around Battle Ground Lake three times doing the Australian crawl stroke, never missing a beat. Al retired from U.S. Bank in 1973 and he and Norrene traveled to Florida and the Virgin Islands. They also had a trailer that they parked on Frenchman's Bar on the Columbia River and would fish and sun bathe by the hour with family and good friends. Also during his retirement, Al helped Norrene watch his two granddaughters, Heidi and Kristina. They enjoyed strawberry picking with him. He also enjoyed picking peaches and canning them along with making homemade dill pickles. Al loved his grandchildren and was always kind and sharing with them. He was loyal to his work, his wife, Norrene, and his family and friends. Norrene, died in 2002. Al is survived by his sons, Edgar "Spike" and Tom Vanderwall; two granddaughters, Heidi Vanderwall and Kristina Guerra; a great-grandson, Mason Andrew Guerra; sisters, May Gadotti, Virginia Barker, Marion Lemaick, and several nephews and nieces. His services will be at Riverview Abbey at 11:00 a.m, Tuesday, June 28, 2005.
[The Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, Wednesday, June 29, 2005]
June 2, 1910 — June 13, 2005
Al was born June 2, 1910, in Phillips, Wis., and died June 13, 2005, at the age of 95. He was the second of eight children born to Joseph and Josephine Vanderwall. Times were tough - the winters were extremely cold and there was very little work. Al's dad, Joe, decided to go out to Oregon to get a job as a lumber millwright. The family came by train later. Al's mom and seven children spent four long days to come across country. The family first settled in Rainier, and then later to Oswego Street in North Portland. Al worked hard as a young boy, first at a grocery store and later in the Cooperage in St. Johns. He gave most of the money he earned to his mom to help out with family expenses. He attended Roosevelt High School, where he played football until a knee injury put him on crutches for three months. He was a very good student and was offered an internship at the local bank during his senior year. The bank later became U.S. National Bank of Oregon. Al continued to work at U.S. Bank and a few years later he met Norrene Johnston from Beach, N.D. Al and Norrene were married on Norrene's family farm back in North Dakota on June 15, 1936. The newlyweds came back to Oregon and settled in North Portland. Al worked at U.S. Bank and Norrene at Sears Roebuck. The world was changing and World War II broke out, so Al served his country by enlisting in the Navy. He was in the Seventh Fleet and served almost four years, much of it in the South Pacific. After the war ended, Al returned home to continue working at the bank. He and Norrene had two sons, Edgar and Tom. Al continued his banking career and got a degree from the American Banking Institute. He became a branch manager and had a total of 44 years with U.S. Bank. He was well respected by the community, and was an active member in the Kiwanis Club for over 45 years. Al's passion in life was fishing for salmon and steelhead. He would often get up early before work and go fishing. He loved to smoke spring Chinook salmon in his backyard and share it with friends and family. Al caught over 957 winter steelhead from 1941 to 1982. Al also enjoyed swimming. He was an incredible swimmer and in his prime, he swam around Battle Ground Lake three times doing the Australian crawl stroke, never missing a beat. Al retired from U.S. Bank in 1973 and he and Norrene traveled to Florida and the Virgin Islands. They also had a trailer that they parked on Frenchman's Bar on the Columbia River and would fish and sun bathe by the hour with family and good friends. Also during his retirement, Al helped Norrene watch his two granddaughters, Heidi and Kristina. They enjoyed strawberry picking with him. He also enjoyed picking peaches and canning them along with making homemade dill pickles. Al loved his grandchildren and was always kind and sharing with them. He was loyal to his work, his wife, Norrene, and his family and friends. Norrene, died in 2002. Al is survived by his sons, Edgar "Spike" and Tom Vanderwall; two granddaughters, Heidi Vanderwall and Kristina Guerra; a great-grandson, Mason Andrew Guerra; sisters, May Gadotti, Virginia Barker, Marion Lemaick, and several nephews and nieces. His services will be at Riverview Abbey at 11:00 a.m, Tuesday, June 28, 2005.
[The Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, Wednesday, June 29, 2005]
Alvin Andrew Vanderwall
June 2, 1910 — June 13, 2005
Al was born June 2, 1910, in Phillips, Wis., and died June 13, 2005, at the age of 95. He was the second of eight children born to Joseph and Josephine Vanderwall. Times were tough - the winters were extremely cold and there was very little work. Al's dad, Joe, decided to go out to Oregon to get a job as a lumber millwright. The family came by train later. Al's mom and seven children spent four long days to come across country. The family first settled in Rainier, and then later to Oswego Street in North Portland. Al worked hard as a young boy, first at a grocery store and later in the Cooperage in St. Johns. He gave most of the money he earned to his mom to help out with family expenses. He attended Roosevelt High School, where he played football until a knee injury put him on crutches for three months. He was a very good student and was offered an internship at the local bank during his senior year. The bank later became U.S. National Bank of Oregon. Al continued to work at U.S. Bank and a few years later he met Norrene Johnston from Beach, N.D. Al and Norrene were married on Norrene's family farm back in North Dakota on June 15, 1936. The newlyweds came back to Oregon and settled in North Portland. Al worked at U.S. Bank and Norrene at Sears Roebuck. The world was changing and World War II broke out, so Al served his country by enlisting in the Navy. He was in the Seventh Fleet and served almost four years, much of it in the South Pacific. After the war ended, Al returned home to continue working at the bank. He and Norrene had two sons, Edgar and Tom. Al continued his banking career and got a degree from the American Banking Institute. He became a branch manager and had a total of 44 years with U.S. Bank. He was well respected by the community, and was an active member in the Kiwanis Club for over 45 years. Al's passion in life was fishing for salmon and steelhead. He would often get up early before work and go fishing. He loved to smoke spring Chinook salmon in his backyard and share it with friends and family. Al caught over 957 winter steelhead from 1941 to 1982. Al also enjoyed swimming. He was an incredible swimmer and in his prime, he swam around Battle Ground Lake three times doing the Australian crawl stroke, never missing a beat. Al retired from U.S. Bank in 1973 and he and Norrene traveled to Florida and the Virgin Islands. They also had a trailer that they parked on Frenchman's Bar on the Columbia River and would fish and sun bathe by the hour with family and good friends. Also during his retirement, Al helped Norrene watch his two granddaughters, Heidi and Kristina. They enjoyed strawberry picking with him. He also enjoyed picking peaches and canning them along with making homemade dill pickles. Al loved his grandchildren and was always kind and sharing with them. He was loyal to his work, his wife, Norrene, and his family and friends. Norrene, died in 2002. Al is survived by his sons, Edgar "Spike" and Tom Vanderwall; two granddaughters, Heidi Vanderwall and Kristina Guerra; a great-grandson, Mason Andrew Guerra; sisters, May Gadotti, Virginia Barker, Marion Lemaick, and several nephews and nieces. His services will be at Riverview Abbey at 11:00 a.m, Tuesday, June 28, 2005.
[The Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, Wednesday, June 29, 2005]
June 2, 1910 — June 13, 2005
Al was born June 2, 1910, in Phillips, Wis., and died June 13, 2005, at the age of 95. He was the second of eight children born to Joseph and Josephine Vanderwall. Times were tough - the winters were extremely cold and there was very little work. Al's dad, Joe, decided to go out to Oregon to get a job as a lumber millwright. The family came by train later. Al's mom and seven children spent four long days to come across country. The family first settled in Rainier, and then later to Oswego Street in North Portland. Al worked hard as a young boy, first at a grocery store and later in the Cooperage in St. Johns. He gave most of the money he earned to his mom to help out with family expenses. He attended Roosevelt High School, where he played football until a knee injury put him on crutches for three months. He was a very good student and was offered an internship at the local bank during his senior year. The bank later became U.S. National Bank of Oregon. Al continued to work at U.S. Bank and a few years later he met Norrene Johnston from Beach, N.D. Al and Norrene were married on Norrene's family farm back in North Dakota on June 15, 1936. The newlyweds came back to Oregon and settled in North Portland. Al worked at U.S. Bank and Norrene at Sears Roebuck. The world was changing and World War II broke out, so Al served his country by enlisting in the Navy. He was in the Seventh Fleet and served almost four years, much of it in the South Pacific. After the war ended, Al returned home to continue working at the bank. He and Norrene had two sons, Edgar and Tom. Al continued his banking career and got a degree from the American Banking Institute. He became a branch manager and had a total of 44 years with U.S. Bank. He was well respected by the community, and was an active member in the Kiwanis Club for over 45 years. Al's passion in life was fishing for salmon and steelhead. He would often get up early before work and go fishing. He loved to smoke spring Chinook salmon in his backyard and share it with friends and family. Al caught over 957 winter steelhead from 1941 to 1982. Al also enjoyed swimming. He was an incredible swimmer and in his prime, he swam around Battle Ground Lake three times doing the Australian crawl stroke, never missing a beat. Al retired from U.S. Bank in 1973 and he and Norrene traveled to Florida and the Virgin Islands. They also had a trailer that they parked on Frenchman's Bar on the Columbia River and would fish and sun bathe by the hour with family and good friends. Also during his retirement, Al helped Norrene watch his two granddaughters, Heidi and Kristina. They enjoyed strawberry picking with him. He also enjoyed picking peaches and canning them along with making homemade dill pickles. Al loved his grandchildren and was always kind and sharing with them. He was loyal to his work, his wife, Norrene, and his family and friends. Norrene, died in 2002. Al is survived by his sons, Edgar "Spike" and Tom Vanderwall; two granddaughters, Heidi Vanderwall and Kristina Guerra; a great-grandson, Mason Andrew Guerra; sisters, May Gadotti, Virginia Barker, Marion Lemaick, and several nephews and nieces. His services will be at Riverview Abbey at 11:00 a.m, Tuesday, June 28, 2005.
[The Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, Wednesday, June 29, 2005]
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
