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IN LOVING MEMORY OF John M. Vanderaa
John M.
Vanderaa
April 19, 1921 – May 31, 2013
John M. Vanderaa's Obituary
John M. VanDeraa, age 92, a resident of Wheaton, IL, went to be with his Lord on Friday, May 31, 2013, at DuPage Convalescent Center in Wheaton. He was born April 19, 1921 in Lansing, to Andrew and Anne VanDeraa.
John grew up in Lansing. During WWII he joined the Navy Air Corp. On August 26, 1944, between basic training and his service, he was married to Anna Mae Persenaire. After the war he graduated from Purdue University in 1949, where he wrestled on a championship team. He went on to teach at Chicago Christian High School. Soon they moved back to Lansing where John was elected mayor and served from 1958 until 1962. He also served as president of the Lansing Rotary Club.
In 1962 he moved his family to Wheaton and John worked as a real estate appraiser. From 1972 until 1984 he taught drivers education at Wheaton Academy.
He was a member of the Wheaton Bible Church, The Gideons, worked in the DuPage County Jail ministry and cared for unwed mothers for E.C.F.A.
He is survived by his wife, Anna Mae VanDeraa of West Chicago, six children, Dale (Barb) of Arizona, Nicholas (Ethel) of AZ, John (Annette) of St. Charles, Robert (Naomi) of Arizona, Celeste (Bruce) Kesler of Batavia, and Elizabeth "Lisa" (Kent) Love of West Chicago, 14 grandchildren, Julie (Mark), Kathy, Susan, Dale, Catherine, Alec, Andrew (Nadine), Abigail, Nicholas, Tyler (Erin), Benjamin, Joseph, Collin, and Noah, and seven great-grandchildren, Jillian, Jaden, Anna, Thomas, William, Elizabeth, and Rhett, one sister, Laura Jabaay, one brother, Glen (Lorraina) VanDeraa and brother-in-law, Melvin Boonstra. He was preceded in death by one sister Alice Bonstra and one brother, Andrew VanDeraa.
A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, June 5, at 11:00 a.m. at Wheaton Bible Church, 27W500 North Ave, West Chicago, IL. Friends may visit with the family from 10:00 until the time of the service. Interment will be at Wheaton Cemetery.
Memorial gifts may be directed to Gideons International, Du Page Central Camp, P.O. Box 934, Wheaton, IL 60187.
Family and friends may sign a guest book at hultgrenfh.com. For more information, please call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.
John grew up in Lansing. During WWII he joined the Navy Air Corp. On August 26, 1944, between basic training and his service, he was married to Anna Mae Persenaire. After the war he graduated from Purdue University in 1949, where he wrestled on a championship team. He went on to teach at Chicago Christian High School. Soon they moved back to Lansing where John was elected mayor and served from 1958 until 1962. He also served as president of the Lansing Rotary Club.
In 1962 he moved his family to Wheaton and John worked as a real estate appraiser. From 1972 until 1984 he taught drivers education at Wheaton Academy.
He was a member of the Wheaton Bible Church, The Gideons, worked in the DuPage County Jail ministry and cared for unwed mothers for E.C.F.A.
He is survived by his wife, Anna Mae VanDeraa of West Chicago, six children, Dale (Barb) of Arizona, Nicholas (Ethel) of AZ, John (Annette) of St. Charles, Robert (Naomi) of Arizona, Celeste (Bruce) Kesler of Batavia, and Elizabeth "Lisa" (Kent) Love of West Chicago, 14 grandchildren, Julie (Mark), Kathy, Susan, Dale, Catherine, Alec, Andrew (Nadine), Abigail, Nicholas, Tyler (Erin), Benjamin, Joseph, Collin, and Noah, and seven great-grandchildren, Jillian, Jaden, Anna, Thomas, William, Elizabeth, and Rhett, one sister, Laura Jabaay, one brother, Glen (Lorraina) VanDeraa and brother-in-law, Melvin Boonstra. He was preceded in death by one sister Alice Bonstra and one brother, Andrew VanDeraa.
A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, June 5, at 11:00 a.m. at Wheaton Bible Church, 27W500 North Ave, West Chicago, IL. Friends may visit with the family from 10:00 until the time of the service. Interment will be at Wheaton Cemetery.
Memorial gifts may be directed to Gideons International, Du Page Central Camp, P.O. Box 934, Wheaton, IL 60187.
Family and friends may sign a guest book at hultgrenfh.com. For more information, please call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of John M. Vanderaa, please visit our flower store.
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