By American Farriers Journal Staff 

Vance Sterrenberg, a Milford, Ill., farrier passed away Tuesday morning after a 6-year battle with cancer.

“I’ve known no one tougher than Vance,” says Alan Dryg, a farrier from Crete, Ill. “He kept shoeing in an attempt to care for his family and customers almost to the very end.”

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015, at the First United Methodist Church in Watseka, Ill. The Rev. Robert Sabo will officiate. Burial will follow at Prairie Dell Cemetery in Iroquois. A visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20 at Knapp Funeral Home in Watseka.

During Sterrenberg’s courageous battle with cancer, the Land of Lincoln Horseshoers Association conducted a benefit auction in which all proceeds went to his wife Bonnie and 8-year-old daughter Stephanie.

“I can only imagine 6 years of medical bills to fight this,” Dryg says, “even with a good insurance plan.”

If you would like to help Sterrenberg’s family during their time of need, a gofundme.com site has been set up.

“Vance was a great friend, mentor, inspiration and will be sorely missed,” says Marengo, Ill., farrier Vern Powell. “He never turned down anyone needing help and was the first to help out at countless farrier functions. The world needs a lot more men like this.”