Funeral services for 84-year-old Vernard “Vern” Hooge of Mountain Lake, Minnesota, will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday morning, August 6, 2014, at the Community Bible Church in Mountain Lake, located at 500 Klein Street.
Interment will be in Carson Mennonite Brethren Church Cemetery, in rural Delft, Minnesota, located on the north side of 350 Street, east of 520th Avenue, south of Cottonwood County Road #3, east of Cottonwood County Road #2.
Pastor Dan Keegan will be the officiant.
Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 5, 2014, at Sturm Funeral Home-Mountain Lake, located at 420 10th Street North, as well as one hour prior to the start of the service at the church.
Vernard “Vern” Hooge passed away on Friday, August 1, 2014.
Vernard John Hooge was born at the Windom (Minnesota) Hospital on October 22, 1929. He was the son of Abraham and Helen (Duerksen) Hooge. He grew up on a farm in Dale Township, Cottonwood County and graduated from Mountain Lake Public High School. His life was filled with family, friends, church, singing, hard work and play.
Vern loved to sing. He was a member of the Carson Male Chorus and a mixed octet. He met the love of his life, Lydia Gerdes, singing in this octet. They were married at the Truman Baptist Church in Truman, Minnesota, on March 22, 1951. By 1958, their family had grown to three sons and one daughter.
Life’s opportunities found Vern doing everything from farming to Bible Camps, to highway flagman, to driving a van for people with a need.
Vern loved his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He would take time to teach them, love them and play with them but more importantly he prayed daily for the children.
In his later years, Vern lovingly, tenderly and compassionately took care of Lydia and their home. After Lydia passed away, Vern loved to share his home and a simple meal with friends and family. He loved to talk and a stranger was just a friend he hadn’t met yet.
When his health began to limit his activities he would still ask, “How can I help?” He always had a ready smile, a firm handshake and a story to tell. Throughout his life Vern’s faith was tested many times but he did not fail. He touched many lives and yet he was the one who felt blessed.
Vern is survived by his children, Phil (Pat) Hooge of Worthington, Minnesota, Duane (Randy Kay) Hooge of Windom, VerLynn (Bill) Bruemmer of Virginia, Minnesota, and Ron Hooge of Lake City, Minnesota; 18 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren, 2 great-great grandchildren, two brothers, Melvin (Ethel) Hooge of Mountain Lake and David (Alice) Hooge of Mankato, Minnesota.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Ed and his twin brother, Will; two grandsons, Matthew Bruemmer and Daniel Hooge.