Gerrits, Dolores

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• Obituary: 13 Nov 2013; Green Bay Press Gazette

Notes:

Obituary:
Dolores Anne (Gerrits) Heyrman passed away surrounded by her family after a lengthy illness only a few months into her 83rd year; following her Cliff home only two months after his passing. As ever, this consummate loving couple met their lives and their twilights together. Their love for each other, their unshakable faith, and their big family built the strongest of foundations. They are together still.
Dolores was born in DePere on October 20,1930 to Louis and Henrietta Gerrits(DeVleeshower). She met Cliff at the fair on a blind date, and became engaged to him at her junior prom. Even after these many years, it is still not clear who swept whom off their feet.
Dolores and Clifford were married October 23rd, 1948, three days after her 18th birthday. As always, she could not wait for the world to catch up to her.
As much as her husband, Dolores was expert at her trade. Few brought more import and honor to the roll of homemaker than Dolores did. She was a professional quality seamstress, a prudent resource manager, and an amazing, inventive cook. Even though her daughters learned at the knee of a master, some of her most cherished recipes are now lost to the ages. How could one note a pinch of this, and a dash of that, when the woman cooked in a whirlwind?
She and Cliff raised five sons and four daughters, and stayed involved in their lives even as the kids became grandparents. They also opened their home to foster kids for more than twenty-five years. Somehow, she found the heart and the time to tend to them all. Not one of them ever lacked for anything, had ever seen more Christmas, or ever a had birthday not celebrated.
Dolores loved her flower garden and the wild birds she fed there. Her sewing, thirty years of Packers games, playing cards with her multitude of family and friends, and any minutes spent at their cottage on Chute Pond were her most cherished times. She and Cliff traveled extensively, and they both loved to watch old westerns together. Few will leave warmer memories than this gentle lady.
She is survived by her children: Theresa Heyrman; Charlotte (Clifford) Nysse; Connie (Leon) Anderson; Joseph (Ann) Heyrman; Jerome (Donna) Heyrman; Mark Heyrman; LoAnn (Dave Holkeboer) Heyrman; Stuart (Kathy) Heyrman; Julie (Dennis) DeGreef.
Also survived by her grandchildren: Virginia Breiden (Cory); Ted Lemke; Eric Nysse; Kevin (Patty) Nysse; Heather Farina (Phil); Brian (Sheila) Nysse; Philip (Sarah) Nysse; Kenneth (Julie) Anderson; Jennifer Williquette (Joel); Greg(Doree) Heyrman; Jeff (Mary Jo) Heyrman; Amanda Thomas; Michael Heyrman; Nicholas (Amy) Heyrman, Stephanie; Ben (Della) Graczyk; April Kohmescher (Chad); Emily Vanden Plas (Dustin); Douglas DeGreef; Jonathan DeGreef, Craig (Brittany) DeGreef; Dustin DeGreef; step- grandchild Rachel Van Grunsven (Tom).
And her great grandchildren: Jenna Baumgart; Ashley and Jason Nysse; Jocelyn and Olivia Farina; Collin and Laken Anderson, Ella and Marie Williquette; Tyha and Ryan Heyrman, Ava and Grace Heyrman; Tyler Heyrman, Jackson Heyrman, and Kayla Schuyler; Morgan Graczyk, Keegan Hickey, Landon and Amelia Kohmescher
Her step-grandchildren: Eli and Jakob Breiden; Jaxon Hafembreadl; Ethan Nichols; Tatyana and Noah McArthur
And her great-great grandchild; Lily Williquette.
Dolores is also survived by her sister Joan(Warren) Knighton, her sisters-in-law Evelyn Moore; Betty VandenLangenberg; Mary Klueskens; Margaret(Norm) Champeau; Stella Heyrman, and her brothers-in-law Richard(Joan) Heyrman, and Rodger(Mary)Heyrman.
She was preceded in death by her parents; Henrietta and Louis Gerrits, her husband Clifford, a granddaughter Carrie Heyrman, Edward and Josephine Heyrman (in-laws), Kenneth Gerrits (brother); Harold and Audrey Gerrits (brother and sister-in-law); Harvey Moore, Leonard Vanden Langenberg, Robert Heyrman, John Klueskens, (brothers-in-law); and Amy Nysse, (granddaughter-in-law).
Family and friends may call at the Pfotenhauer Funeral Home & Cremation Service, East-Town location, 2379 East Mason St. on Thursday, Nov. 14 from 4 until 8:00 p.m. Prayer Service 7:00 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Visitation continues on Friday at St. Mary's Catholic Church of Glenmore, 5832 Big Apple Road, De Pere from 8:30 until Mass of Christian Burial 10:30 a.m. Friday at the church with the Rev. Ralph Merkatoris officiating. Entombment in Shrine of the Good Shepherd Chapel Mausoleum. Online condolences welcome at www.PfotenhauerFuneralHome.com
In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in her name at the funeral home.
The family would like to thank the staff of Autumn's Promise and Unity Hospice for all their care and attention to mom throughout her illness.
Published in Green Bay Press-Gazette on Nov. 13, 2013

Dolores married Heyrman, Cliff 23 Oct 1948. Cliff (son of Heyrman, Edward and Hazaert, Josephine) was born 17 Nov 1927, Green Bay, Brown, Wisconsin, USA; died 7 Sep 2013, Denmark, Brown, Wisconsin, USA. [Group Sheet]