The Daily Press, Victorville, CA

Ella VanderHaegen
Friday, June 10, 2005

  Longtime California resident, Ella Mae VanderHaegen, passed away at
her home in Ridgecrest on May 15, 2005, at the age of 92. A memorial
service will be held at the Ridgecrest Presbyterian Church at 1 p.m.
Thursday. A close family friend, Rev. O. William Hansen, will lead
the service. Mrs. VanderHaegen was born on Nov. 23, 1912, in Holyoke,
Mass., to Aaron Wilbur and Josephine Cecilia Lake. While she was in high
school, her family journeyed across the United States and settled in
the Glendale, Calif., area. Ella Mae graduated from Hoover High School,
then earned a four-year scholarship to continue her education at the
University of Redlands. A pre-med student, Ella Mae graduated from the
university in 1935, then attended Boston University Medical School. In
1937 she began a 20-year career as a laboratory technologist, working
for medical groups both in Massachusetts and California. Ella Mae met
the love of her life, Gustave VanderHaegen, on a blind date in Boston on
Oct. 9, 1940. Gus had recently arrived from his native land of Belgium
and was working in New York in the restaurant business. Eventually they
decided to head to California, where, on June 8, 1942, they began their
marriage of 56 years. They had one daughter, Christine (Tina) Frisbee.
In 1957, Ella Mae and Gus started their second careers as they opened a
real estate office in Apple Valley, known as "Gus VanderHaegen Realty".
Through their real estate business, this husband and wife team formed
many lasting friendships. For many years, Ella Mae and Gus were very
active in the Victor Valley Realty Board, Apple Valley Rotary Club and
the Presbyterian Church of the Valley. For the last 11 years of their
marriage, they enjoyed living in Laguna Hills. Upon Gus' death, Ella Mae
decided she wanted to move to Ridgecrest to be close to her family. She
loved the wonderful blue sky, mountains and wildflowers of the desert,
and rarely did a day go by that she didn't mention how grateful she was
for her family and for living in Ridgecrest. For six years she made
her home at High Desert Haven and felt very fortunate to have such
a friendly place to call home. Ella Mae was preceded in death by her
husband, Gustave; her two brothers, Aaron and Edgar; and her sister,
Evelyn. She is survived by her daughter, Tina, and her husband, Monte
Frisbee, of Ridgecrest; grandson Eric, and his wife, Julie Frisbee, of
Ridgecrest; grandson Marc Frisbee of Ft. Collins, Colo.; great-grandson
Trevor Frisbee and great-granddaughter Taylor Frisbee, both of Ridgecrest;
and many caring nieces and nephews in California, Massachusetts, Maine
and Washington. Since Ella Mae was a 30-year cancer survivor, in lieu
of flowers, friends and family may choose to send a donation to the
American Cancer Society. Information submitted by the family.