A 10-truck salute

HAGER CITY -- Over a month has passed since Gary Oberg passed away, but those who knew him and loved him most still feel the sting of his loss. In fact, Will Schroeder of Hager City Express, who counted Oberg as “one of his four fathers” at the trucking business, said he still finds himself picking up the phone to dial Oberg’s number.

A family friend of Oberg’s stopped into the Herald office on Friday, March 20 to inform the staff of a unique tribute in progress at Oberg’s funeral at Svea Lutheran Church. Eleven (including Oberg’s) semi-tractors, gleaming and polished, lined the country road outside of the church, waiting to escort Oberg to his final resting place. The photo, posted on the Herald’s Facebook page, garnered 120 shares, close to 500 likes and reached over 13,000 people. That doesn’t surprise those who knew Oberg.

“He would’ve given his shirt off his back for anybody that needed help,” said Hager City Express dispatcher Vicky Schiller. “He will always be missed.”

According to Bill Schroeder, county board supervisor and owner of Hager City Express, Oberg started driving straight truck for Red Wing Pottery when he was 18 years old. He began driving semi for Stern Manufacturing in Minnesota when he turned 21, Bill said. He soon bought his own semi and ran a lot of California and West Coast trips before selling his rig and coming to work at Hager City Express in 1987.

From 1987-2004 Oberg drove as a company driver, then in 2004 he again bought his own semi-tractor and drove for the company as an owner-operator.

Schiller, Bill and Will are smiling as they sit in the office at Hager City Express, reminiscing about their dear friend: especially his love of barbecue ribs.

“He found all the chicken shops, barbecue rib joints across the county, the mom and pop places to eat at,” Bill said.

Even more legendary than his ability to find hidden culinary treasures was his work ethic and love of helping others.

“At 58 years old he was still unloading garage doors,” Schiller said. “That’s not easy to do! He also had the patience to teach.”

Will echoed Schiller’s statement, recounting how Oberg helped many drivers learn to back up a truck and trailer.

“We gave his number to all the new guys for guidance,” Will said.

A sad goodbye

Schiller said she received a call from Oberg March 6, saying he had “such a headache.” Eventually, he called his niece to take him to the hospital in Red Wing, and was then transported to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. by ambulance.

After suffering a series of heart attacks, Oberg received a triple-bypass. Doctors reported he was doing well and sent the family home. But it was not meant to be, and Oberg passed away on Saturday, March 14.

On the day of Oberg’s funeral, all of the pallbearers but one were truck drivers, Will said. They wore Green Bay Packers jerseys, to honor Oberg, a “hardcore Green Bay fan.”

Bill led the procession of semi-tractors while Oberg’s brother Jay drove Oberg’s truck behind the hearse to his final resting place in the Trenton Cemetery. It was a sight to behold to see 11 semi-tractors lined up outside the cemetery perimeter, an appropriate tribute to a man who would have done anything for anyone, the three said.

Also fitting, due to the fact that Oberg drove over 3 million miles with Hager City Express without a chargeable accident, Bill said. And so a truck driver was laid to rest, not to a gun salute, but with the music of truck horns echoing through the valley.