Ethan Bradley Vanderberg

The world lost a bright light when Ethan Vanderberg, 23, was taken from us suddenly on September 24, 2026, due to a tragic vehicle accident while enroute to his cabin.

Ethan graduated with high honors from Mona Shores High School, where he spent four years in the marching band. Even then, he was making things happen. He started Logical Lawn Care and brought some of his buddies along to work with him.

Soon after graduation, Ethan headed west to work at Yellowstone National Park, and then took a job maintaining fleet vehicles at Big Sky in Montana. He taught himself how to pull and replace an engine because, when Ethan wanted to learn something, he found a way. He traveled to dozens of national and state parks, collecting a patch from each one. He once set out with friends in the dark so they could reach the summit of Grand Teton.

His travels also took him to Oklahoma, where he lived off the grid in a small, enclosed trailer with solar power and few comforts. His dad visited often. Together, they installed windows in the trailer and took their showers at a nearby state park. Those visits were part of a bond built over years of working side by side. From the time Ethan and his sister Ella were young, they helped their dad with projects around the house. As an adult, Ethan kept helping him with handyman jobs, always ready with an idea for how to do something better. He was his dad’s best sidekick.

Eventually, Ethan came home to Michigan and bought a small farm in Mason County. He raised chickens and sheep, planted pine and apple trees, asparagus and grapes, and worked toward living more self-sufficiently with solar power and wood heat. More recently, he returned to Muskegon and was attending Muskegon Community College with plans to enter its nursing program. Caring for people and helping where he could had always come naturally to him.

Ethan sought out more adventure in 23 years than many people do in a lifetime. He was an old soul, always learning, building, and finding his own way.

He is deeply loved and missed by his mother, Melissa Vanderberg of Whitehall, his father, Brad Vanderberg (Tammy) of Muskegon, his sister, Ella Vanderberg, step siblings, Emily and Jake Grevel, his grandparents, Ray and Liz Meloche and Kay and Chuck George, and step grandparents, Bart and Rose Robinson. Ethan also leaves behind many aunts, uncles, cousins, and close friends who loved him dearly.

In Ethan’s memory, donations may be made to the Mona Shores Public Schools Marching Band or the Shelby-Benona Township Fire Department.

To accommodate all who loved Ethan, separate memorial services will be held. Hosted by Brad & Tammy Vanderberg / The Vanderberg family, A private memorial service for immediate family members will take place on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. An additional Celebration of Life gathering with extended family members, will be scheduled next summer.

Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, White Lake Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.

www.beaconfh.com

Ethan Vanderberg

Ethan Vanderberg, age 23, passed away unexpectedly on the morning of September 24, 2026, leaving behind a family who loved him beyond measure and a life that, though far too short, was filled with love, adventure, curiosity, faith, and a deep appreciation for the world around him.

Ethan was the beloved son of Melissa Meloche (Vanderberg) and Brad (Tammy) Vanderberg. Ethan was a loving brother to his sister, Ella Vanderberg. He was a cherished grandson of Raymond and Liz Meloche, also of Charles and Kay George. Ethan was deeply loved by his many aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family members, and friends.

Those who knew Ethan knew the size of his heart. He was kind, caring, thoughtful, and intelligent. He had a natural curiosity about life and wasn't afraid to follow it wherever it led him. In his 23 years, Ethan experienced and tried more than many people do in much longer lives. He was independent and adventurous, but the people he loved were always at the center of his world.

Ethan had a special love for the outdoors and found peace and happiness in nature. A few years ago, that adventurous spirit took him out West, where he worked at ski resorts and took on other outdoor jobs. It was a life that suited him—mountains, fresh air, hard work, and the freedom to experience something new.

His love for the outdoors was part of Ethan from the time he was young. He enjoyed hunting, and one of his family's treasured memories is of Ethan getting an impressive buck on one of his first youth hunts. Over the years, his interests took him in many directions. At one point, he kept farm animals and raised chickens, embracing yet another way of being close to the land and caring for living things.

Some of Ethan's most meaningful adventures, however, were the ones he shared with his family. He was very close to his mother, Melissa, and his sister, Ella, and the three of them spent a great deal of time together. Their weekly dinners out became a treasured tradition—a simple ritual that now holds countless precious memories.

Each year, they also traveled together to Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Those trips brought together so much of what Ethan loved: his family, the outdoors, exploration, and time surrounded by the beauty of nature. The memories made during those trips will forever be woven into the places they visited and into the hearts of those who shared them with him.

Ethan's faith was also an important part of his life. He loved God and found friendship and connection through church. While attending a church near Fountain, Michigan, Ethan even joined a church group for weekly square dancing—one of those wonderfully unexpected pieces of his life that reflected his willingness to try something new, connect with people, and simply enjoy the experience.

Ethan was smart and capable, but what mattered most about him cannot be measured by accomplishments. It was his heart. He cared deeply. He loved deeply. He noticed people. He connected with them. And he brought his own unique combination of intelligence, gentleness, curiosity, humor, independence, and kindness into the lives of those fortunate enough to know him.

Ethan's family will grieve all of those days they should have had with him. But they will also hold tightly to the 23 years they did have—the adventures, the conversations, the laughter, the traditions, the quiet moments, and the countless memories that made Ethan who he was.

Ethan explored. He worked hard. He loved nature. He tried new things. He cared for others. He loved his family. And he loved God.

He will be profoundly missed and forever loved.

May those who loved Ethan find comfort in knowing that the beautiful places he loved, the traditions he shared, and the kindness he gave to others will continue to carry pieces of him forward.

And whenever his family gathers for dinner, travels north to the U.P., walks through the woods, looks across a mountain, or simply finds themselves surrounded by the quiet beauty of nature, Ethan will never feel very far away. We will hold him in our hearts forever.

Ethan's Memorial Service will be held at 4:00 PM, Saturday, October 17, 2026, at Evanston Avenue Church, 1188 Evanston Avenue, Muskegon, MI 49442, with visitation starting at 3:00 PM until time of service.

Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, White Lake Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.

www.beaconfh.com