Gerhardt "Gary" VanDerBeek, age 83 of Glenwood, died Monday, August 24, 2026 at the St. Cloud Hospital. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, August 28, 2026 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Glenwood with Father Joe Vandeberg officiating. Visitation will be Friday from 9:00-11:00 a.m. at the church before Mass. Inurnment will be at a later date at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery in Chokio. Arrangements are with the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Glenwood.

Gerhardt “Gary” Arie VanDerBeek was born on June 19, 1943 to John and Catherine (Jansen) VanDerBeek on a farm near Brooten, Minnesota. During his early years, his family moved to farms near Kerkoven, Swift Falls, and Cyrus, Minnesota. Those rural roots remained part of who he was throughout his life.

A special turning point in Gary’s life came when he met a young girl from Chokio, Minnesota, and took her to her senior prom. Her name was Dieanna Schott. The two were married on August 19, 1965, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Chokio, Minnesota. Together they were blessed with three sons, Gerhardt John, Scott Jeffrey, and Jerad John.

When he was 20 years old, Gary worked for a short time driving a milk bulk truck for Paynesville Creamery. After Dieanna graduated from high school, she got a job at Fingerhut and encouraged Gary to get a job there as well. He then began what became a long and respected career at Fingerhut. He started by packing seat covers in boxes, and through hard work and dedication he moved up to supervisor and then to dispatcher for the Fingerhut truck drivers. Gary loved his job at Fingerhut, where he worked for 37 years. As dispatcher, he sent Fingerhut trucks from one side of the country to the other, and his name was greatly respected by those who did business with him. He remained in that role until the company was sold and he retired.

Gary and Dieanna loved camping and, over the years, owned their own campers. He also enjoyed fishing and hunting with relatives. He often took fly-in fishing trips to Canada with relatives and friends, making many treasured memories along the way.

In March of 2006, Gary and Dieanna built a town home in Glenwood. It was located just across the highway from Lake Minnewaska, where they had access to the lake. Living by a lake had always been his dream, and there he enjoyed it fully. He had a boat and a fish house so he could fish in both summer and winter. He also planted and cared for flowers and trees in his yard. Over the years, Gary was always willing to offer help to anyone who needed it, and that kindness was part of how he will be remembered.

Gerhardt is survived by his wife of 61 years, Dieanna VanDerBeek; sons, Gerhardt (Stephanie), Scott (Diana) and Jerad (Dawn) VanDerBeek; grandchildren, Megan, Logan, Caleb (Cassidy), Arielle, Noah and Dalton; great-grandson, Shepherd; sisters, Trina Berg, Anna Hiltner, Cathy Ziemann and Margaret (Jim) Knebel; brothers, Henry (Joyce) and John (Mary) VanDerBeek; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, John and Catherine VanDerBeek, brother, Gerrit VanDerBeek and two sisters, Joanne VanDerBeek and Wilhelmina French.