Obituary: David G. DeJonge

Jan. 31, 1929 – Nov. 19, 2019

David G. DeJonge, 90, died at Sturgeon Bay Health Services after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s.

He was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Gerrit and Jannette (Fox) DeJonge. He married Marilyn (Lynn) Miller on June 9, 1951.

David graduated from Schurz High School in Chicago, Illinois, in 1946 and graduated from Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, in 1951, where he met his wife-to-be, Lynn.

David loved helping people and was able to do so at his job as labor relations manager at the Teletype Corporation. He was loved by his co-workers and employees and continually worked for the betterment of them all. After retiring from Teletype, he went to work for the American Cancer Society as a corporate fundraiser. He then went to work for Literacy Chicago as a teacher of English as a Second Language. There he met many people with whom he remained friends and in contact over the years.

In 2005, David and Lynn moved to Sturgeon Bay, where they built their retirement home on a property his mother and father bought in 1946. David was an active committee member at the Hope United Church of Christ, and Lynn sang in the choir. In the late ’90s, David and Lynn liked going to Hawaii for a few weeks to get away from the cold winters of Chicago. After moving to Sturgeon Bay, their winter getaway was San Antonio, where they had many memorable times.

He is survived by his wife, Lynn DeJonge; daughter, Pat Keane (Gary); son, Gerrit DeJonge (Lonnie); grandchildren, Tom Keane (Erin) and Emily Smith (Nick); great-grandchildren, Michael Keane and Hannah Smith; brothers-in-law, Allen Miller (Vicki Dirst) and Robert Petersen; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Gerrit and Jannette DeJonge; and his sister, Nancy Petersen.

After David was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, Lynn took care of him at home for a number of years. The disease eventually took its toll, and he moved into the Golden Living – Dorchester (now Sturgeon Bay Health Services) in January of 2015. He received excellent care by all of the staff there. They were all his angels and greatly appreciated by the entire family.

In honor of David’s wishes, services will be held in the summer of 2020.

Huehns Funeral Home and Door County Crematory are assisting the DeJonge family.  Expressions of sympathy, memories and photos of David can be shared through his tribute page at huehnsfuneralhome.com.