Obituary: Bertel Kleerup
Too many obits of late. This is from a local (Eagle River?) paper:
Founder of Nordic Ski Center, Bert Kleerup, dies at age 74
Bertel “Bert” Kleerup of Three Lakes, instrumental in developing the sport of cross-country skiing in the Eagle River and Three Lakes areas, died at his home Monday, Dec. 3, 2007, at the age of 74.
Kleerup, a former management consultant in applied mathematics at Stanford Research Institute in California, quit his job to move to the family cabin on butternut Lake in Eagle river. With his wife LaNora, he developed and ran the Eagle River Nordic ski Center.
His ski operation began in the mid-1970s with a small warming hut and 10 miles of groomed trails in the Nicolet National Forest and grew to include a 30-mile trail, a retail store in Eagle river and a lodging program at the Northernaire Hotel in Three Lakes. The warming hut located at the trailhead offered equipment rentals and was the base for his ski school.
By 1979, the trails and ski school helped the area receive national ranking for cross-country skiing and by 1987 his Nordic trails were ranked among the top 10 best places in the country, drawing 12,000 skiers annually.
Trail fees paid by cross-country skiers were used to develop and maintain an excellent trail system which was used by Olympic and U.S. National ski teams for training. Races, sanctioned by the United States Ski Association, were also held on the trail system during this time.
Through his center, Kleerup sold skis through the mail using the latest computerized technology to match the skier with the right ski based on the skier’s size, strength, ability and style. His business was a major supplier of racing skis in North America.
Kleerup was born Feb. 9, 1933, in Chicago, Ill. A lifelong visitor to the area, he has been a resident on Butternut Lake for the past 35 years. In addition to being an avid cross-country skier, he was a reader and storyteller.
Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Dianna (Sal) LoDolce and Cindy (Stan) Penwell, both of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Sharon Carbone of Littleton, Colo.; a brother Jim (Ginger) of Villa Park, Calif.; and five grandchildren.
A funeral service was held Dec. 7 at Gaffney-Busha Funeral Home in Eagle River with the Rev. William Trosien officiating.
