Donnermeyer, John Edward "Jack"

Other Events:

• Obituary: 17 Feb 2010; Appleton Post Crescent

Notes:

Obituary:
Donnermeyer, John Edward "Jack" The angels from heaven came February 15, 2010, to lead Jack home. Born in Appleton, WI, on September 19, 1943, the fourth child to the late John B. and Dorothy (Wirth) Donnermeyer. Jack was clearly loved having all those sisters (Joyce, Janet, Pat, and Shirley) the first 5 years of his life. After to his glee his brothers (Mark, Keith, and Ken) were born and he became one of "the boys." God and family were always most important in his simple life. He often spoke of how morals, honesty, and integrity were somehow being forgotten and what a better world this would be if only they could be reborn. Purity of soul cannot be lost without consent. Jack grew up in Kaukauna attending St. Mary's Elementary School and later Kaukauna High School (class of 1962). Jack and his mother would often fondly recall how they had started their first jobs on the same day. She at the former Kaukauna Hospital and he at the Kaukauna Times ... the youngest paper boy they ever had! He walked this route for 7 years and then handed it on to his brothers. Always the hard worker, he then delivered pizza for Pizza Haven in Kaukauna as a part-time job while attending Kaukauna High School. In his senior year of high school he also worked part time at Gustman's starting out on the wash rack and later gradually learning his life-long trade as the best body repair man around. Over his lifespan, Jack worked for Gustman Chevrolet in Kaukauna, Tusler Pontiac in Appleton, and the former Cloud Buick which was transformed and later ran as Bergstrom Buick and Pontiac in Appleton. Jack retired from Bergstrom's in 2007 after working hard at his trade for 44 years. Jack served his country as a National Guardsman from 1964 to 1970, attending the riots of Milwaukee in 1967. Jack married the former Diane Cummings on September 19, 1970, on his 27th birthday - his way of never forgetting his anniversary. They remained together in this life for 39 years and for all of eternity. God took the best from both of them to create their only child Tara Lynn on July 21, 1973. In the beginning Jack talked of having a son, but the first time he looked at Tara a new light shone in his eyes that stayed with him till the day he died. She was truly "Daddy's Little Girl." She was his pride and joy of a lifetime.
Besides his wife Diane and daughter Tara, Jack is survived by his sisters: Joyce Frederickson, Kimberly, Janet (Harvey) Raether, Menasha, Pat Stuyvenberg, Kimberly, and Shirley (Gary) Bley, Port Washington; his brothers: Mark (special friend Linda) Donnermeyer, Kaukauna, Keith (Char) Donnermeyer, Granite Bay, CA, and Ken (Jan) Donnermeyer, Kaukauna; his wife's sisters: Evelyn (Vic) Loberger, Appleton and Carol (Mike) Valeri, Appleton; his wife's brothers: Jim (Lil) Cummings, Appleton, Jerry Cummings, Larsen, and Marvin Cummings, Neenah; his godchildren: Susan Carlson, Appleton, Jayne Kohel, Kimberly, Brian Schaefer, Oshkosh, Rachael Johnson, Stacy, MN, Jeff DeGroot, Kaukauna, and Michael Valeri, Appleton. He is further survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and extended family and friends.
Jack was preceded in death by his parents, his wife's parents: Alvin and Helen Cummings, brothers-in-law: Darvin Frederickson, Dick Stuyvenberg, Howie Jansen, and sisters-in-law: Linda (Wanserski) Donnermeyer, Joan (Van Zeeland) Cummings and a nephew Jesse James Donnermeyer.
The Mass of Christian Burial for Jack will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, February 19, 2010, at St. Katharine Drexel Parish at St. Mary Site, 119 West Seventh Street, Kaukauna, with Fr. Jerry Pastors celebrating. Visitation will be held at the Boettcher Family Funeral Home, 2401 Fieldcrest Drive, Kaukauna, (766-2099) on Thursday from 4-8 p.m. where there will be a parish prayer service held at 7:30 p.m. and at the church on Friday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the mass. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund in Jack's name is being established.
There are two types of people: those who come in the room and say "Well here I am!" and those who come in the room and say "Ah! There you are!" This was truly Jack!! He fought a hard battle with cancer, lived a good life, and is finally at peace ... We love you Jack.