Smith, Karen Lee

Other Events:

• Obituary: 4 Jun 2006

Notes:

Obituary:
Karen Derks, age 56, passed away peacefully at home Thursday, June 1, 2006, surrounded by family and friends. She was born in Appleton on July 30, 1949, to Marvin H. and Germaine (VanGompel) Smith. Karen married John Derks on February 23, 1974. She was a devoted wife and mother. Karen lived and walked her deep faith in God. She was very active in her church and community, she originated Holy Angels Preschool Bible Time, the Parish Picnic (Silent Auction) and organized and remained coordinator of the Holy Angels/Holy Spirit Scrip program. Karen loved her early morning walks with friends, pilates, her flower gardens and was always available for anyone who needed a helping hand. Throughout her life Karen also ran two businesses of her own: The Sunspot tanning salon for 10 years and a cleaning service for 15 years.
Karen is survived by her husband, John Derks; her sons: Jason (Sheri) Derks of Neenah; Greg Derks (special friend Jessi) of Appleton; and Jeff Derks of Darboy; her father, Marvin Smith; brothers, James (Debbie) Smith, and Ronald (Mimi) Smith; and sisters: Patricia (Joseph) Brinsko, Barbara (Michael) Dercks, and Jayne (Mark) Ziegler, mother- in-law, Angela Derks; sisters and brothers-in-law, Trudy (Dave) Gritton, Pat (Jerry) Ozburn, Mary Sprangers, and Kim DeLeeuw.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Germaine Smith; a special aunt, Leone VanGompel, a father-in-law, John Derks Sr.; sister-in-law, Rose DeLeeuw, and brother-in-law, George Sprangers.
Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 5, 2006, at Holy Angels Catholic Church, Darboy; with Father Tom Pomeroy officiating, co-celebrant Father Willie Vandeloo and Deacon Paul Grimm. Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. Sunday, June 4, 2006, at Valley Funeral Home and from 9 a.m. until the time of mass at the church.
Karen's family would like to extend a special thank you to Homecare Hospice, especially her nurse Ellen and Dr. William and Jane Guenther and to Carol Boots for her Healing Touch. They also want to thank Karen's closest friends, Sheila DeValk and Joyce Wittmann for the loving care and support they provided.
In lieu of other expressions of sympathy a memorial fund is being established.
Valley Funeral Home
2211 N. Richmond Street

Karen married Derks, John 24 Feb 1974, Appleton, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA. John (son of Derks, John H. Sr. and Heegeman, Angela) was born 14 Apr 1944, Kimberly, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA; died 7 Jun 2017, Appleton, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA; was buried , Holy Angels Catholic Cemetery, Darboy, Wisconsin, USA. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Obituary: 13 Nov 2013; Appleton Post Crescent

Notes:

Obituary:
Gregory D. Derks, age 36, of Appleton passed away on Tuesday, November 12, 2013 at St. Elizabeth Hospital with his family at his side, following a brief, yet courageous battle with cancer. He was born on April 22, 1977 in Appleton, son of John and the late Karen (Smith) Derks. Greg was a 1995 graduate for Xavier High School where he excelled in Cross Country. He married Jessica M. Sterling on October 6, 2007 and the union was blessed with 6 years and two beautiful daughters. Greg was employed by Van Vreede's in sales for several years, and most recently by Advanced Disposal, which he loved. He loved sports, especially Brewers baseball, camping, music, especially Jimmy Buffett, garage parties, and time spent with his friends. Greg's greatest joy was being a husband and daddy, providing for, and spending time with his girls. He was a fun-loving, stringently honest husband, father, son, brother, and friend, who will be missed by all who knew him.
He will be sadly missed by his wife Jessica; his daughters, Sydney and Ruby; his father, John, Appleton; brothers, Jason (Sheri) Derks, Neenah, Jeff Derks, Appleton; parents-in-law, David and Marlene Sterling, Appleton; brothers-in-law, Jason (Tammy) Sterling, Appleton, Scott (Denise) Sterling, Appleton; grandfather, Marvin Smith, Appleton; nieces and nephews: Lincoln Derks; Ty, Savannah, Blake, and Brooklynn Sterling; Jordan, Nathaniel, and Aleigha Lenzen; Tristain Prosper; several aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends too numerous to list. In addition to his mother, Karen, Greg was preceded in death by his grandparents: Germaine Smith, John and Angela Derks; a nephew, Isaiah, and a niece, Lucy.
A memorial service for Greg will be held on Friday, November 15, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at Neenah's Westgor Funeral Home with Deacon Bud Klister officiating. Friends will be received at the funeral home on Thursday evening, from 4 until 8 p.m. and again on Friday from 9:00 a.m. until the hour of service. He will be laid to rest next to his mother in Holy Angels Cemetery in Darboy. In lieu of flowers, a memorial scholarship fund is being established for Sydney and Ruby.
Westgor Funeral Home
205 W. Doty Ave.
Neenah 722-7151
Online Condolences
www.westgorfuneralhomes.com
I would like to express my gratitude to the staffs at Fox Valley Hematology and Oncology, Affinity Visiting Nurses, and my girls on the 4th Floor at St. E's for your care and compassion through Greg's illness.
-Jessi Derks
Published in Appleton Post-Crescent from Nov. 13 to Nov. 14, 2013

Gregory married Sterling, Jessica [Group Sheet]