Father Steven John Vanden Boogard, O. Praem., age 69, a retired U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander (Chaplain) and Norbertine priest of St. Norbert Abbey, De Pere, WI, passed into God's eternal kingdom on June 23, 2023.

Born on October 2, 1953 to the late Alois and Mary Jean (Helein) Vanden Boogard, he grew up in Kimberly, WI and was the second oldest of nine children. His home parish was Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church in Kimberly.

Fr. Vanden Boogard entered the Navy when he turned eighteen and spent the next four years as a hospital corpsman in a boot camp in Pensacola, FL. In 1976, he returned to Wisconsin and studied at St. Norbert College in De Pere earning degrees in Sociology and Theology. During college, he held the positions of Grand Knight and Trustee for the Knights of Columbus for a total of four years.

Aware of a priestly vocation since his First Holy Communion, he entered St. Norbert Abbey in his junior year at the college, and was vested as a novice on August 27, 1979. He professed Simple Vows on August 28, 1981 and he made his Solemn Profession on August 28, 1984. He received his Master's Degree in Divinity in June 1986 from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, IL. On June 9, 1988, Fr. Vanden Boogard celebrated his Ordination to the Priesthood. He went on to earn a Master's Degree in Education from Boston College in 1991.

He taught Religion and Sociology at Premontre High School in Green Bay, WI and then went to St. John Neumann High School in Philadelphia, PA, where he taught the children of Navy captains. Conversations with his students and their parents sparked an interest in him to return to the Navy as a chaplain, since there also was a great need for military chaplains.

Beginning in July of 1993, Fr. Vanden Boogard served as a Naval Chaplain with the rank of Lieutenant Commander for about seventeen years, completing three deployments to Iraq and a tour in Guantanamo Bay. During this time, he offered Mass, celebrated the Sacraments and was an approachable and deeply caring man for anyone in need of a listening ear. He found spirituality a necessity for his comrades. His strong faith in God and perseverance helped him through the trials of war and being at sea. He was proud of his military experience, and thankful for the grace of God bestowed upon him. He was honorably discharged from the Navy and returned to the Abbey in 2010.

In his years after retiring from the Navy, he continued pastoral ministry in parishes on the Door Peninsula and regularly heard confessions in several Green Bay area churches. For several years, he also ministered to the Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Cross in Bay Settlement.

Fr. Vanden Boogard is survived by the Norbertine Community; siblings: Robert (Doris) Vanden Boogard, Michael (Kathy) Vanden Boogard, Thomas Vanden Boogard, Jean Reynolds (and special friend, Larry), Ted (Michelle) Vanden Boogard, Lisa (Tom) Pepper and Cindy (John) Stoeger; many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Fr. Vanden Boogard was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Barbara.

Vespers of the Dead and Reception of the Body will be held at the church of St. Norbert Abbey on Friday, July 7, 2023 beginning at 7:00 p.m., followed by visitation until 9:00 p.m. Visitation will continue on Saturday, July 8, 2023 following Lauds of the Dead at 9:00 a.m. until the Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. expressing our faith and hope in the promised glory of the Lord's Resurrection. The Rt. Rev. Dane J. Radecki, O. Praem., Abbot of St. Norbert Abbey, will be the principal celebrant and the Rev. James T. Baraniak, O. Praem. will be the homilist.

Burial with military honors will be in the St. Norbert Abbey Cemetery after the Funeral Mass, weather permitting.

The Norbertine Community would like to thank the nurses at St. Norbert Abbey, and everyone at Aurora Hospital and their hospice team who cared for Fr. Vanden Boogard.

Ryan Funeral Home, De Pere, is in charge of the arrangements.