- Joseph Martin Van Krey, age 76, passed on to eternal life from cancer at his home on Sunday, January 26, with his wife, Judy, and kids at his side.
Joe was born in Kimberly, the youngest son of the late Martin and Jane (Van Nuland) Van Krey. He graduated from Kimberly High School in 1956 and was employed at the Kimberly mill 21 years when he and his brother, Tony, opened Van Krey's Supper Club in Kimberly. Joe also managed the bar and restaurant areas of Appleton Yacht Club and Fox Valley Golf Club before his retirement in 2002. He was a lifelong member of Holy Spirit Church, an avid sports fan since high school, and especially loved the Packers. Joe enjoyed spending time with his family and was very proud of his children and grandchildren. He also loved his pets including his late dog, Bo, which supported him while healing from the death of his first wife, and most recently his cats, Babe and Mr. Taz which loved him through his own illness.
Joe will be greatly missed by his wife, Judy Willems-Van Krey, Kaukauna; daughter, Carla (Paul) Melanson, Kimberly; sons Dave (Jackie), Mayville; Marty (Debbie), Menasha; and Don (Missy) Van Krey, Appleton; step-children, Cyndi (Jim) Wizgird, Neenah; Wayne (special friend, Lisa) Willems, Weyauwega; and Theresa (Richard) Loughrin, Fremont. He is further survived by his grandchildren; Shea (Jordan) VanProosdy; Nate (fiancée, Ashley), Isaac and Alec Melanson; Ryan, Aaron, Lauren and Seth Van Krey; Elisabeth and Blayne Van Krey; and Turner and Cassie Van Krey; step-grandchildren, Steven and Morry (special friend, Tara) Anderson; Jill (Malcolm) Ellis and Matt (Jackie) Willems; Brian (Samantha) Phillips, Amanda (Tom) McDonald and Jasmine Phillips. Joe has one great-grandchild and 16 step-great-grandchildren.
Joe's family includes three surviving brothers, John (Shirley), California; Harry, Virginia; and Tony (Joan) Van Krey, Kimberly; Brothers-in-law, Kenneth (Sharon), Richard (Kathy), William (Linda), Donald (Debbie), Thomas (Rose), Howard (Lisa) and Daniel Koester; Carl (Grace), Bill (Donna) and George (Pat) Kessler; and Dave Coenen. Sisters-in-law, Virginia (Richard) Linzmeier; Carol (Mark) Matthies; Jean (Ken) Seidl; Dianne (Dennis) Gostas; Betty Lou (Ken) Muelemans; Susan (Mark) Gitz; Kay (Ed) Fulcer; Gale Van Krey; Liz Biesterveld; and Chris (Rob) Wurzbinski. There are numerous nieces and nephews.
Those that have preceded him in death are his parents, Martin and Jane Van Krey; his first wife and mother of his children, Mary (Kessler) Van Krey; sister, Ann Diehn; brother, Pete Van Krey; brothers-in-law, Frank Diehn and Ray Biesterveld; sisters-in-law, Jean Van Krey and Joanne Coenen.
Funeral services will be held at 12:00 p.m. Friday, January 31, 2014, at Holy Spirit Parish, Holy Name Church, 600 E. Kimberly Avenue, Kimberly, with Fr. Bob Kollath officiating. Inurnment will be in Holy Name Cemetery, Kimberly. Visitation will be at the church from 9:00 a.m. Friday until the time of the Mass. To sign the guestbook, please visit verkuilenfh.com.
"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a savior from there, The Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." Philippians 4: 20-21
We, Joe's family, would like to thank Appleton Medical Center Oncology Staff, ThedaCare At Home and Hospice for lovingly caring for our husband and father.
Published in Appleton Post-Crescent from Jan. 28 to Jan. 30, 2014
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1937 - 2014 (76 years)
Education - High School
