Henry J. DeBoer Obituary
Henry DeBoer Menomonee Falls Found peace on January 14, 2024 at the age of 86.
Beloved husband of Jean (Torgerson). Loving father of Eric (Sandy) and Joseph (Biljana). Cherished grandfather to Isabela. Proceeded in death by his siblings, David, Gregory, and Annette. Also, his grandsons Daniel and Robert.
Family Man Whenever Henry would get together with family his toast was always "To the family wherever they may be". Family was important and he was a devoted husband and father. He married Jean in November of 1962, shortly before he was stationed on Midway Island. it was from this remote isle in the South Pacific that a cornerstone of their love and life together would be built. After he was discharged, they settled in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin where they lived for 31 years (from 1969-2000). They adopted two boys; Eric and Joe and their family lived in an area where eastern Wauwatosa bordered the west side of Milwaukee. Within this neighborhood they had many wonderful neighbors and friends. In 2000 they moved to Menomonee Falls, where they have enjoyed the past 23 years, once again cultivating a wonderful group of close friends. Henry and Jean celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in 2022-a true testament of their strong love and commitment to one another. Shortly thereafter their commitment was further evident in the united fight against Hank's cancer, his treatment, and finally his passing.
God's Creatures One of Henry's great loves was his dogs, Labradors specifically. He had three: Beaker, a black lab and the family's first, Moose, a chocolate lab, and Miz Daisy also a chocolate. The time he spent with his dogs went beyond the part they played in hunting which he enjoyed immensely. Both Moose and Daisy were certified therapy dogs and Hank was fond of taking them on visits with veterans, the elderly, church goers, and young people who faced challenges in learning to read. He knew that at times people could struggle and found that a pet could become a bridge that made it easier to approach others and become part of a healing process.
Outdoorsman Henry loved hunting, fishing, and trapshooting. For him it was not solely about the hunt, but more about quality time spent in nature. For him God's country, the elements, and the surrounding beauty of the landscape created a peace and tranquility that he wanted to share with others. He did so by becoming a Wisconsin DNR Hunter Education instructor and later serving as the president of the Wisconsin Hunter Education Association. Within these roles he worked to give back by providing the means to hunt safely, and created a need to preserve our natural resources so all could enjoy them. He wanted all to share in the joy and love of nature.
Several specific areas where he hunted and fished were logged in his journal, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Within the state of Wisconsin, he noted some of his favorite spots including Mayville, St. Germain, Eagle, Seneca, Wautoma, Eau Claire, and Fremont. The typical Wisconsin farm was where he was in his element. It was this setting where he found a shared love of the land and developed long-lasting friendships with the farmers whose land he hunted.
Veteran Hank's support of those that served our country was as important to him as his devotion to God. From the daily display of the flag flown at his home to his service in the U.S. Navy. While in the Navy he served as a corpsman from 1959-1964. This service paved the way to his career as a Medical Technologist where he worked at Columbia-St. Mary's, now part of Ascension Health, for 30 years. Part of his Navy school and training took place at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, commonly referred to as Bethesda Naval Hospital. It gave him such joy to be part of one of the largest and most prominent military medical centers in the nation and steeped in tradition. This pride was felt so deeply that he requested that his graduation ring be sent back to the medical center. It was Hank's graduating class of 1961 that saw their graduation rings as a first issue, and he wanted this symbolic event to be remembered by donating his ring for display in the center's museum.
God As with all his loves Henry saw them overlap and he incorporated them all into his greatest love-the love of God. He was fond of seeing God's work in everyday life and he enjoyed sharing those discoveries with others. He attended church regularly at St. James and prayed the Psalms daily from his prayer book. He was involved in the church in many different capacities from usher and treasury assistant to church council president. He also spent time as a greeter where one of his dogs would accompany him in welcoming the attendees for weekly mass. Within the last few years, while living at The Highlands at Wildwood Lake, he donated his time to help make sleeping mats for the homeless. He also attended a bible study where he grew close to Pastor Steve, the resident pastor. Both Pastor Steve and Father John from St. James visited Henry while he was in hospice. His faith continued to shine in how he liked to close his conversations-he liked to say "God Bless".
God bless Henry we love you and you will be greatly missed.
Visitation at St. James Church, W220 N6588 Town Line Rd. Menomonee Falls, on Saturday, January 27, 2024, from 9:30 am to 11:00 am. Mass of Christian Burial to follow.
In lieu of flowers, memorials appreciated to either: American Legion Post 382 P.O. Box 323 Menomonee Falls, WI 53051 or St. Vincent de Paul (SvDP St. James Conference) W220 N6588 Town Line Rd., Menomonee Falls, WI 53051.
