Marcel E. "Max" Verbrugghen - 1904-1985

VERBRUGGHEN, BEAUMONT, KOEFOD, WOODWARD, ANTHONY

Posted By: Connie Ellis (email)
Date: 4/18/2011 at 21:06:04

1st SOURCE: Waukon, Iowa WAUKON DEMOCRAT August
15, 1985
2nd SOURCE: Starbuck, Minnesota, POPE COUNTY TRIBUNE, September 5, 1985
Contributor: Connie Ellis (Not related)

Marcel Edouard "Max" Verbrugghen, 81, a resident of Fountain Valley, California, died Monday, July 29, 1985 in Costa Mesa, California. He was a former resident of Waukon, Iowa. He had been retired for several years. An avid golfer, Mr. Verbrugghen collapsed and died suddenly on the golf course while teeing off on the local golf course. A memorial service was held Sunday, August 4 at King of Glory Lutheran Church in Fountain Valley, California. He was to be interred next to his wife at the Indherred Lutheran Church Cemetery in Starbuck, Minnesota on September 7. The Don Nelson Funeral Home of Starbuck was in charge of the arrangements.

Marcel was born January 27, 1904 in Colwyn Bay, North Wales, Great Britain. He was the son of Henri Adrien Marie Verbrugghen and Alice Emma Beatrice (Beaumont) Verbrugghen. For a short time he was educated in Scotland and then migrated in 1915 with his parents to Australia where they lived until 1923 when they moved to the United States. Marcel settled in Park Rapids, Minnesota for a short time when he and his brother, Philipp, operated a sheep ranch.

Marcel's father, who was born in Belgium, was a renowned musician in chamber music. Henri had been the first director of the first State Conservatorium of Music in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia from 1915 to 1923. He then became the second conductor of the Minneapolis Symphony from 1923 to 1931. The symphony was one of the first American symphony orchestras to appear on record discs. Henri had a stroke in 1931 and resigned as the conductor. His replacement was the famous Eugene Ormandy. Marcel's mother was an accomplished singer.

After leaving the sheep ranch, Max sold life insurance and also was a justice of the peace.
Marcel married Ruth E. Koefod in Bemidji, Minnesota on June 29, 1935. Marcel was an auditor and personal director for a construction company involved in large contracts for the government. One of the projects was in Alaska. Marcel continued to be an accountant until he retired in 1969.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Elizabeth, who died October 1, 1970 in Waukon, Iowa, and his sister, Gabrielle E. Woodward who died August 25, 1982.

Marcel Verbrugghen is survived by his children Victor Verbrugghen of Woodland Hills, California, Adrien Verbrugghen of Carson City, Nevada, and Alice Ruth Anthony of Long Beach, California; 5 grandchildren; and two brothers Phillipe Verbrugghen of St. Paul, Minnesota and Dr. Adrien Verbrugghen of LaJolla, California.