Birth date: Sep 7, 1927 Death date: Aug 7, 2021
Leonard Gene VanBogelen, age 93, of Manchester passed away peacefully, Saturday, August 7, 2021 at Henry Ford Allegiance Hospital, Jackson. A private gathering and service will take place at St. Mary Roman Catholic Church, Manches Read Obituary
Len was always special. He and Marva truly cared about me and my family over so many years. He taught us about living in the north country when we moved to Cadillac, Michigan from Chicago, Illinois. We learned how to travel the country roads on a snow mobile and have a winter picnic featuring his home-made "snowmobile baked beans". He shared his favorite places in Florida on our many winter visits. He and Marva were adopted grandparents to our three young girls. We learned the excitement of working with Miss Cadillac in the beauty pageant. Len loved Life and shared this love with all who knew him. A special part of my heart went with Len to heaven where I know he will share it with the love of his life, my special friend Marva.
Judy Clancy
.
Leonard! What a beautiful man, a man’s man with a gentle soul. It was a warm spring Sunday afternoon the middle of March 2019 when Jamie Sue and I visited the manor with the idea that she was considering applying for a position as life enrichment coodinater. Well you’ll never guess who we ran into running his four wheeler up and down the halls? Yup! Leonard! We introduced ourselves and asked if he would like to show us around and he graciously accepted, and didn’t miss a lick, both floors. I remember when we came to his room there was a wooden map of Michigan a picture of a light house and a picture of his wife outside his door as he told us his story and that his wife had passed and how many years they had been married Well, I’m a soft touch for a good ol’ days, the way it’s supposed to be story. So, the more questions I asked, the more he opened up it was so adorable and it was very obvious how much he loved and missed her and let it be known that he looked forward to the time he would reunite with her. Really pulled on my heart strings. And as Jamie Sue and I morn for and with the loved ones he leaves behind, we rejoice and can only imagine the majestic magical moment when he embraced his marvelous Marva! There wasn’t a mustard seed of doubt in his heart it was going to happen and there isn’t a mustard seed of doubt in mine that it did! God bless you my friend! Our condolences to the family and friends. He was a beautiful man. Oh, Jamie Sue did accept the job and spent a year and a half with Leonard! He always said she reminded him of his drill Sargent!
