John E. DeBruin

Following a brief illness, and at the age of 102, John began his journey to heaven surrounded by his loving family on Thursday, November 10, 2005 at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton. John was born on June 21, 1903 to Eugene and Nellie (Verhoven Smith) DeBruin. John married Nettie Peerenboom on November 24, 1931; Nettie preceded John in death on April 1, 2000, after sixty-eight years of marriage. John was proud to have been a lifetime member of St. John Catholic Church in Little Chute, and enjoyed many visits from Msgr. Jim Vanden Hogen over the years. He was honored when the Village of Little Chute officially recognized his 100th birthday. John worked for the Kimberly Clark Corporation in Kimberly for forty-seven years and was a member of the Kimberly Clark Quarter Century Club.

John and Nettie are survived by three children: LeRoy (Cecelia) DeBruin of Kiel, MaryAnn (Bill) Marvin of Kimberly, and Joanne Verbeten of Kimberly. John is further survived by his fifteen grandchildren and twenty-one great-grandchildren: Gary (Sue) Verbeten and their children Nick, Melissa, and Emily; Mary Ann (Gary) Mounce and their children Luke and Ashlie; Jeannie (Greg) DeBruin and their children Michelle, Andy, Benny, and Jared; Carol Appleton and her children Josh DeBruin, Thomas Appleton, and Jacob Appleton; Laurie Reoyo and her sons Frankie and Nick; Geralyn (Larry) Harkness and their children Jenny and Nick; Susanne DeBruin, Renee DeBruin, Janice (Robert) Koerber and their daughter Elain; Sharon DeBruin, Mark DeBruin, Paul DeBruin, Tom (Stacey) DeBruin and their children Grace and Johnathon; David (Amanda) DeBruin and their children Kaitlyn and Samuel; and Daniel DeBruin. Additional survivors include a sister-in-law: Marie Gillette of Appleton; a special niece: JoAnn Gillette; a nephew: Chuck (Fugi) Gillette; Joe Van Hammond; Joyce (Frank) Schleitwiler;

He was preceded in death by his parents, Nettie’s parents Martin and Johanna Peerenboom, a son-in-law Jerry Verbeten, a brother-in-law Ralph Gillette, a niece Maryanne Van Hammond, nephews Tom and Jim Ackmann; a half brother-in-law Lloyd Ackmann; three half sisters Ella, Josephine, and Louise; a half-brother Tony; and a great-grandson Matthew DeBruin.

The funeral liturgy will be held on Monday, November 14, 2005, at 6:00 PM at ST. JOHN CATHOLIC CHURCH, 323 Pine Street in Little Chute, with Fr. Jim Vanden Hogen and Deacon Vincent DeGroot officiating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery. Friends may call at the church on Monday from 4:00 PM until the hour of the service.

John will always be remembered by everyone in the family as “Grandpa Gene”. He was kind and generous and always there to help. John never forgot the daily rosary and instilled in his family a strong faith in God, the Virgin Mary, and all of the saints. He was proud to tell everyone that he took an annual vacation on August 15 to visit the Shrine of Mary at Robinsonville, Wisconsin, where the Bishop celebrates the Feast Day of Mary. This tradition will be carried out by John’s family, including the grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Jansen Fargo Funeral Home
204 E. Kimberly Avenue
Kimberly, WI 54136
920-788-6202