Obituaries

John Dekker

Photo of John Dekker
John Dekker of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas died February 6, 2013 at Mercy Hospital. He was born January 13, 1924 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin to Gerhard and Nellie Dekker. On June 29, 1977, he married Lois Stuedeman Rydberg. Survivors include his wife, Lois Dekker; son, Gary (Debra) Dekker, Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin; daughters, Ruth (Jack) Even, Lecanto, Florida and Debbie (Pat) Leftwich, Pensacola, Florida; stepdaughters, Marcia (Dennis) Soerens, Cedar Grove, Wisconsin, Sandra (Marc) Miller, Boca Raton, Florida and Virginia Rydberg, New Berlin, Wisconsin; seven grandchildren and seven step grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren and eight step-great-grandchildren; three sisters, Cornelia Gabrielse, Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, Maude Simmelink, Sheboygan, Wisconsin and Jeanette (Lincoln) Davies, Oostburg, Wisconsin. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Leona Van Der Puy Dekker; sister, Tannie Dykema, Grand Rapids, Michigan; and one grandchild and three great-grandchildren. A graduate of Central High School, Dekker owned and operated Dekker Sheet Metal Company, Inc. for 32 years. The last years before retirement, he was employed as sales manager for Craig Fuel Oil Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He served in the U.S. Armed Forces from 1943 to 1945 with overseas duty in the South Pacific in WWII. He was a lifetime member of the VFW and the Disabled American Veterans. He was an officer in Sheboygan Contractors Association, Sheboygan, Wisconsin; a council member in Upper Dublin Lutheran Church, Ambler, Pennsylvania; and an officer and volunteer for many charities in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Arkansas. Christ Lutheran Church, Hot Springs Village, Arkansas was his present church home. Memorial service will be 2 p.m. Sunday, February 10th at Christ Lutheran Church. A visitation will be at the church an hour prior to the service. Memorial gifts may be given to: Christ Lutheran Church, Hot Springs Village, Ark., First United Lutheran Church, Sheboygan, Wis. or Habitat for Humanity, Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Published February 9, 2013

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