Gordon Francis Vadnais (part 3 of 3)

On August 13, 1954, (Susan) Sue gave birth to the couple’s only child, Laurie Joan.²⁴  Gordy was 25 years old and Sue was 21 years old.

Laurie was baptized by Father Bernard Reiser at St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church on September 19, 1954.  Her godparents are listed as George and Harriet Saulpan.²⁵

Over the years Gordy was involved in several local organizations including the Junior League of St. Paul, the Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce and the White Bear Lions Club.²⁶ 

To my surprise, I found Gordy in the credits as a makeup artist for the 1960 Annual Lions Club Show.  You may think it’s strange, but since the program appears to have been focused on football, it doesn’t seem all that strange.

By sometime around 1960 the family had moved to 5014 Bald Eagle Avenue, White Bear Lake.²⁷

The house is now gone, the land became a part of the White Bear Lake Area High School – North Campus site when they expanded.

Gordy remained involved with the White Bear Lake Volunteer Fire Department.  By 1960, he had already served almost 11 years.  In 1962 he was elected 2^nd assistant chief and in 1963 he was elected first assistant chief.

At White Bear Oil Company, as a co-owner with his father and brothers, Gordy also had his job running the Vadnais Motors division located on the west side of Highway 61 between 6^th and 7^th Streets.  Over the years it was the sales site for International Harvester tractors, Cub Cadet tractors and Bombardier ski-doo’s, among other products.

In 1965, after 11 years of marriage, Gordy and Sue divorced.  Gordy moved back into his parents’ home at 411 (now 4787) Bald Eagle Avenue.²⁸

Gordy met his second wife, Roberta (Denfeld) Schwalbach, through a mutual friend.  Roberta (Berta) was working at the Holiday House, a restaurant attached to the White Bear Bowling Alley, when Gordy came in and the friend introduced them to one another. 

In 1977, Berta talked about one of her early dates with Gordy saying, “We had had a few dates when he asked me to go out to dinner at Jantzen’s.  We had just ordered our dinner when Gordy got a phone call.  There was a fire at one of the local businesses.  He said he would be back soon and left.  My daughter was with me.  We cancelled his dinner and ate ours while we waited.  I didn’t have a penny with me and, of course, no car to get home in much less pay for the meal.  I arranged with management for Gordy to come back and pay for the meals later, borrowed a dime from a waitress and took a cab home.  I could write a check at home for the fare.  After that I never go anywhere without transportation and money to pay my way and to this day that waitress says ‘got a dime’ every time she sees me.”²⁹

Gordy and Berta married on August 13, 1968 in Washington County, Minnesota.³⁰  Gordy was 39 years old and Berta was 35 years old.  Gordy became the step-father to Berta’s 3 children: Richard (Rick), Debra and Connie.

The newly formed family moved into the house just south of Gordy’s parents’ home on Bald Eagle Avenue where they would live until 1977.

1968 also marked the year that Gordy became the fire chief at the White Bear Lake Volunteer Fire Department; a position he held for 20 years.

Gordy made several changes and notable contributions to the fire department over his years of service as fire chief.  In 1971 he helped get special legislation passed to update the pension plan so that the amount received by department members was relative to their performance.  In 1972 he pushed for the building of a second fire station on the south side of White Bear Lake out of concern over fire protection in that part of the city.  The new station and equipment needed was widely supported by public referendum and the bond passed; station 2 was built at County Road E and McKnight Road.  A major life-saving contribution Gordy implemented was the formation of one of the first registered volunteer paramedic services in the country.  Paramedic training began in 1978 with 2 volunteers and on March 31, 1979 the first paramedic call was answered.  Little did Gordy know that one day the volunteer paramedics would be there for him to save his life.  The volunteer paramedic service gained national, and global, acclaim, becoming a model for others that followed.  By 2005 White Bear Lake had 21 volunteer paramedics.^{31, 32}

Gordy was elected president of the Minnesota Fire Chief’s Association in 1979, he was the first president of the Ramsey County Fire Chief’s Association and he served on the board of directors of the Minnesota State Fire Department Association from 1985-1988.³³

In 1977 Gordy and Berta moved to their final home in White Bear Lake at 5005 Bald Eagle Avenue.³⁴  It was sold in 2024.

In 1980, Gordy had his first heart attack.  Following doctor’s orders, he informed the city manager he could not continue as fire chief and work full-time at the family business.  Subsequently, Gordy was offered the fire chief job on a full-time basis.  As a result, Gordy negotiated with his business partners, his brothers, to allow him to step back from White Bear Oil Company in order to become White Bear Lake’s first full-time fire chief.³⁵

Gordy retired from the White Bear Lake Fire Department on February 1, 1988.  He had served for 38 years, 5 months and 24 days.

After White Bear Oil closed in 1992, Gordy and Berta spent their leisure time doing what they enjoyed, including fishing and traveling.  They eventually owned a home in Arizona which they would escape to during the cold Minnesota winters.

Gordy passed away on Sunday, June 26, 2005 from congestive heart failure.³⁶  He was 77 years, 5 months and 15 days old.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held for Gordy on Wednesday, July 6, 2005 at St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church in White Bear Lake.  The family chose to have a private interment.

Berta, a widow at 71 years old, would live almost 20 years after Gordy’s death.  She passed away on Sunday, December 22, 2024; she was 91 years, 4 months and 13 days old.

Gordy and Berta were laid to rest at St. Mary’s Cemetery in White Bear Lake.

Thanks for visiting, come back soon,
Cynthia

© 2026 Copyright by Cynthia Vadnais, All Rights Reserved

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Footnotes for Gordon Francis Vadnais (Part 3 of 3) post