TENPAS, Herman John (Herm)

Arizona Daily Sun, Flagstaff, Arizona, Sunday, March 10, 2013 Herman John “Herm” Tenpas passed away on February 7, 2013 in Tuscon, AZ, at age 92. He was born on July 21, 1920, in Wilson, WI; one of 8 children of Garritt and Nellie (VanderPloeg) TenPas. He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy, in 2001. Herm was also preceded in death by his seven siblings: three brothers, Bernard, Norman and John and four sisters, Evelyn TenPas, Emma Hansen, Joan Rathsack and Elizabeth Leonard. Herm was formerly married to Marian J. Tenpas and was the proud father of 4 daughters. Their oldest daughter, Irene Williams, preceded them in death in 2007 after a courageous battle with breast cancer. He is survived by daughters Nancy Henthorn, Ben and Rob Pickford, and Amy and Lisa Schobinger. A proud veteran, Herm served in the US Army during WWII. After the war, he joined the Varland Agency, a real estate agency in Rockford, IL. He served as the Vice President of the company for over 20 years. He subsequently became a real estate title and insurance broker at the Rockford Title Company. During his years as a real estate broker he served as President of the Rockford Board of Realtors, President of the Illinois Association of Mortgage Bankers, Secretary to the Illinois Association of Realtors, and was a founding member of the Board of Governors of the Realtors’ Institute; a three-year continuing educations program. Upon completion of the program, realtors receive the designation of G.R.I., Graduate of the Realtors Institute. The Realtors Institute is now held in all states in the United States. Herm also served as Director and Rose Day Chairman to the Lions’ Club and Director to Big Brothers of America, chaired many committees for YMCA, and was instrumental in building Hope Reformed Church in Rockford, IL. Herm retired and moved to Arizona in 1978 to be close to his parents, who were residents of the Tucson Estates subdivision. He soon discovered that the salesman in him wasn’t quite ready to retire. He and Dorothy established the Western Way Real Estate and Insurance Company, located at the Tucson Estates. They sold their business to Roy H. Long in 1983. He “retired” from real estate so he could devote his tremendous energy and work ethic to organizing litigation on behalf of the Tucson Estates Property Owners’ Association. His wealth of knowledge, belief in doing the right thing, and ability to laugh at himself and with others during his many years of service to the community made him a legend in Tucson Estates. He was proud to call Tucson Estates his home and his beloved neighbors “family”. A celebration of Life will be held in Tuscon Estates Multipurpose Hall on Saturday April 13, 2013, from 1-3pm. Please come and bring your favorite “Herm” stories.
Posted by Sharla on March 10, 2013

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