Donald (Don) Vande Sand passed away peacefully at his home on Jan. 17, 2022. He was born on May 15, 1939 and was preceded in death by his parents, Aloysius John and Henrietta Katherine (Mangold), and his brother Gene and Joan (Markofski, Groleau) Vande Sand.
Don is survived by brothers and sisters; James (the late Kay Pearce) and Sharon (Potter, Fell) Vande Sand of Elkhorn, Eileen and John Brown of Arlington Heights, Ill., Marge and (the late Leonard) Kitkowski of Fond du Lac, John and Jo Ann (Ehlen) of Providence Forge, Va., and Annette Vande Sand of Appleton.
Don’s passions in life were his family and his religion. He attended his nieces’ and nephews’ graduations and sporting events and beamed with pride at each of their academic, sporting, and professional accomplishments. Don himself was a talented high school basketball and baseball player. He continued his love of sports by playing in both men and coed softball leagues for many years in the Washington D.C. area. His best sport, however, was bowling which he had to give up when a few years ago his knees screamed “Enough”.
Don was educated at St. Charles Grade School, Burlington High School, and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He was employed by the U.S. General Accounting Office, now the U.S. Government Accountability Office, for 35 years as a senior supervisory auditor. He reviewed government programs for the U.S. Congress and authored dozens of reports that identified waste and abuse and made recommendations to make government run more efficiently, economically, and effectively. He also served in the U.S. Air Force reserve. The highlight of his short military career was marching in President John F. Kennedy’s Funeral Parade.
Don’s third passion in life began when he retired from the federal government and moved back home to Burlington in the early 1990’s. He immediately took up the challenge to continue recording all the births, marriages, and deaths of Burlington residents that his father had started for the Burlington Historical Society, and then continued by his mother, after his father passed away.
Don had a keen analytical mind and an encyclopedic brain for detail. He could recall details and events from times long gone by. But most importantly, he knew how to share his gift with those he came into contact with. His preferred means of communication was one on one or with just a small group of people.
Don was humble and never sought praise. But as a testament to his personality and talent, praise found him. His past awards included “Burlington Lions Club Man of the Year” and the “Burlington Rotary Club Man of the Year.” True to his nature, Don said he would only accept those awards if he did not have to stand at a podium and say anything while accepting the awards.
But the next day, and in fact, most days after those awards were bestowed on Don, he was back at the Burlington Historical Society Museum, on North Perkins Boulevard, sitting at his desk on the second floor, ready to inform and entertain anybody and everybody who climbed the stairs to talk to him, or who called on the phone, by sharing what he knew about the residents both living, and those not lost to memory, who had graced Burlington’s streets and the surrounding area. In turn, he was truly appreciative of each and every person he met and the historical artifacts and knowledge of Burlington gone by that people shared with the Burlington Historical Society.
A favorite story of one such encounter occurred when he received a phone call and was asked to research the caller’s relative who had lived in the late 19th century. Don called back after a few days and said “I have some good news for you and some bad news. Which one would you like me to share with you?” The caller responded, “Give me the good news”. Don replied, “I found some information on your relative.” The caller then said, “Well, what’s the bad news?” Don responded, “He was a horse thief.” They both shared a good laugh and Don went on to say that the caller’s relative had been accused, and found guilty, of stealing a horse and had to serve a short time in jail. Maybe it was a misunderstanding as a result of a poker game gone awry. The truth is probably lost to history.
As the word spread of Don’s passing, tributes began pouring into the Burlington Historical Society website and the Facebook group “Growing Up In Burlington.” A former Burlington mayor wrote: “As individuals hear of his passing, what Don meant to them is being expressed throughout our community. He truly was an honorable man and gave so much to make sure history of Burlington lived on.”
Another tribute said: “I have lost a good friend…the (Burlington Historical) Society has lost a treasure with (his) passing…His knowledge of the history of Burlington, its’ residents and businesses, will be very difficult to replace.”
Another said: “Don was an amazing person. So dignified, so kind, and so funny. His incredible breadth of knowledge and treasure trove of local lore was such a gift to this community…. He will be missed by so many.”
And finally: “If anyone could ever be known as Mr. Burlington, it was Don!”
The family thanks everyone for their kind and moving words about our brother and uncle. It is reassuring to us that he touched so many lives in such a meaningful way and he will be surely missed. We are overwhelmed by the out pouring of tributes to Don and his knowledge, dedication, and ability to connect with so many people by sharing his love of Burlington.
We will miss Don deeply but are comforted to know that his legacy is a lasting gift to all of us, both his family and everyone who knew him. But perhaps most importantly in the scheme of history, Don’s gift was to the future generations who will seek to know the true history of Burlington, Wisconsin. We are sure it was Don’s unstated hope that his groundwork laid the foundation for future generations to experience a revealing, interesting, and satisfying journey through the historical pages of Burlington, Wisconsin.
You can find the complete list of tributes to Don on the Burlington Historical Society website, www.burlingtonhistory.org, and the Facebook group “Growing Up in Burlington.”
A copy of his obituary can also be found on the Daniels Family Funeral Homes & Crematory website, www.danielsfamilyfuneral.com.
A private funeral service, followed by a burial internment at St. Charles Cemetery, will be held for Don’s immediate family. A public celebration of Don’s life will be scheduled when the threat of Covid diminishes and spring arrives. It promises to be a big celebration. Hope all of you can attend!
Contributions in Don’s memory can be made to St. Charles Church and the Burlington Historical Society.
Rest in peace brother, uncle, and friend. We have all been enriched by having known you.
Well-wishers may visitwww.danielsfamilyfuneral.com.
-
-
-
-
-