Aitkin County, Minnesota
- Francis VanHoudt
- Norma VanSteenwyk
- Rose Vanstrom
- Lillian Veith
- Gust Villnow
- Diane Virginia
- John Vomela
John "Jack" Vomela, who started a St. Paul printing company that made Christmas tags with glitter and later developed a process to put stripes on automobiles, died at the age of 94.
At its height, Vomela Specialty Company employed 350 people. It served for two decades as a shop devoted entirely to working with the 3M Company. He retired and sold the company in 1980.
He grew up in St. Paul, and his first job was as a printer for Brown and Bigelow. In 1947, he started Vomela Specialty and made Christmas seals and tags with flocking and glitter.
In 1959, the company began developing a machine to cut vinyl film used to stripe Ford Mustangs and other cars.
"He called it the 'kiss process,' " said his daughter, Rose Marie Shetka.
The process used a heated die to cut vinyl sheeting without piercing the paper on the back of the pressure-sensitive material. The advance led to widespread use of vinyl graphics instead of stencil and paint lettering.
"He was a brilliant man," said son-in-law George Shetka. "He wouldn't even let anyone from 3M come into his shop to see how he did it the first couple of years."
He also became interested in growing wild rice and bought a 4,000 acre farm in Aitkin Aounty that produced more than one million pounds of wild rice in a year. He also owned oil fields in Texas and real estate properties in St. Paul.
He was an avid hunter and fisherman and traveled all over the world, including hunting trips to Africa.
For the past 25 years, he has spent the winter in Florida and the summer at his lake home near Rush City.
In addition to his daughter and son-in-law, he is survived by his two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Services were held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in West St. Paul.
Burial was in the Calvary Cemetery.
Contributed by Karen Klennert
Source: Aitkin Independent Age Newspaper
Rose Ella Vanstrom, 102, Andover, formerly of Bemidji, died Feb. 24, 2003.
She was born July 29, 1900, in Hutchinson, to Joachim and Caroline (Roepke) Vorbeck, the youngest of 11 children. She graduated from Winona Teachers College and taught school in Hutchinson and Clarkfield. On June 23, 1923, she married Earl Vanstrom in Duluth and they had three sons. Due to Earl's employment by the Northern Pacific Railroad, they moved 10 times before settling in Aitkin in 1938 and finally in Bemidji in 1959. Most of her activities centered in church Bible studies, circles, and working with the "Kitchen Crew." She was an active member of St. John's Lutheran in Aitkin and Trinity Lutheran in Bemidji. Rose enjoyed doing crossword puzzles to keep her mind alert and enjoyed reading and walking. She was very proud of her grandchildren with their variety of personalities and activities. Rose was alert and active until shortly before her death.
Funeral Services were held March 1 in Trinity Lutheran Church, Bemidji, with Rev. Hyle Anderson officiating. Burial was in Greenwood Cemetery, Bemidji, under the direction of the Olson-Schwartz Funeral Home, Bemidji.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Earl (1965); her sons Reginald (2001) and Robert (1998); and grandson Steven (1972) and ten brothers and sisters.
Survivors include son and daughter-in-law Neal "Wahli" and Iola Vanstrom, Duluth; daughters-in-law, Marilyn Vanstrom, Minnetonka and Vangy Vanstrom, Coon Rapids; 11 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.
Memorials preferred to Lutheran Social Services, 2485 Como Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108.
Contributed by Karen Klennert
Source: Aitkin Independent Age Newspaper
Contributed by Karen Klennert
Contributed by Karen Klennert
Contributed by Karen Klennert
Contributed by Karen Klennert
Contributed by Karen Klennert
Source: Aitkin Independent Age Newspaper
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