Altana “Tana” Frances (Henry) Vande Weghe

Altana “Tana” Frances (Henry) Vande Weghe passed away peacefully on July 10, 2024 in Pittsburgh, PA, from Alzheimer’s disease. She was 80 years old.

Tana was born in 1943 in New York City, a daughter of Adelaide Garni and Francis Henry. She grew up in Riviera Beach, Florida, where she graduated as the valedictorian of her class at Riviera Beach High School.  She married Jerome “Jeff” Vande Weghe in 1963 and they raised their son and daughter first in South Bend, IN, then in Simpsonville, SC.

Tana was a dedicated mother who put her educational aspirations on hold while her two children were growing up. Once she had successfully raised them to adulthood, she completed her degree, earning a BA in accounting from Furman University in 1998 at the age of 54. After her divorce she moved to Greenville, SC, and worked at a series of small accounting firms.

Tana maintained many personal interests throughout her life. She was an avid reader and astute investor, often sharing books and articles with her family, along with a thoughtful note. She loved to cook and was always up for a challenge, whether it was canning bushels of tomatoes, baking a wedding cake, hosting a dinner party, or trying a new recipe from Gourmet magazine. Tana also had a lifelong commitment to physical fitness, playing on the local women’s soccer team, earning her brown belt in karate, and regularly going to the gym. In her later years she adopted several cats in need of a good home, kept her bird feeders well-filled, and enjoyed attending sporting events.

Above all, Tana loved her family and friends, and found great joy in connecting with people. She shared her time generously, volunteering with her children’s schools, the Simpsonville Soccer Club, the Greenville County Youth Orchestra, her church, and her investment club. She doted on her two granddaughters, and was a devoted friend who could always be counted on to lend a helping hand or brighten your day with a note, a phone call, or a hug. Her warmth and positive outlook touched many lives.

When her health began to decline in 2020, she moved to Pittsburgh, PA, to live with her son and daughter-in-law.

Tana is survived by her son James Michael “Mike” Vande Weghe (Laurie Hiyakumoto), daughter Jennifer Vande Weghe (Dennis Kim), granddaughters Julianna and Maxine Kim, former husband Jerome Vande Weghe, stepbrother Peter Vande Weghe (Lois), and nieces and nephews Bob, Dawn, Adele, Bobby, and Jackie.

She was preceded in death by her sister Vicki (Henry) Arthur and niece Brandy.

A celebration of Tana’s life will be held at 11am on August 10, 2024 at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Greenville, SC. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a charity of your choice.