Wayne VanderHorst, 87, Owatonna

Wayne VanderHorst of Owatonna, died Monday, Nov. 28, 2022 at Owatonna Hospital.

Funeral service will be Friday, Dec. 2, 2022 at Brick-Meger Funeral Home at 11 a.m. Friends may greet the family at the funeral home from 9:30-11 a.m. on Friday prior to the service.

Wayne Cornelius VanderHorst was born Aug. 1, 1935 to Harry and Anna (Dykstra) VanderHorst in their home in Geneva. He grew up and worked on the family farm. He had the distinction of becoming the youngest pilot in the state of Minnesota at the age of 16. He loved and owned an airplane and found joy in flying, watching and talking about planes throughout his life.

Wayne married Alice VanWyngeeren on July 28, 1955 at the Hollandale Reform Church. In the early years of their marriage, he was a member of the National Guard, training at Fort Ripley.

Together the couple raised six children on a farm in rural Hollandale, where they crop farmed and raised livestock. The couple later settled in Owatonna. In addition to farming, Wayne was a semi-truck driver. He drove for Bixby Feed Mill for many years, Vern’s Trucking of Geneva, and Carstensen’s Trucking, until he retired at the age 83.

Wayne was a member of the Hollandale Reform Church. Wayne’s life interests included airplanes, fishing, boating, camping, traveling with Alice in their RV, wintering in Florida, and spending time with family.

Wayne is survived by wife, Alice; children: Terry (Deb) VanderHorst, Waseca, Brenda (Jeff) Gallagher, Owatonna, Scott VanderHorst, Hollandale, Vicky (Jon) O’Neil, Waseca, Tami (Ken) Stowers, Valparaiso, Ind., and Kim (Kirk) Dear, Phoenix; 15 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren; one sister, Carol VanBeek, and two brothers-in-law Gary VanWyngeeren and Pete VanWyngeeren and sister-in-law Barb VanWyngeeren.

Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, brothers-in-law Ryner VanWyngeeren and Phil VanBeek, and sister-in-law Betty Rietsema. For more information or to leave a message of condolence, go to www.megercares.com.