Jack DeBaar

​

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7

Gerritt “Jack” DeBaar was a kind-hearted, gentle, and jovial man. His love of sunny weather matched his sunny disposition. Styling a favorite purple shirt and a big grin, this man made friends out of strangers. He would talk to everyone — always ready with a witty remark or a joke to crack. Whether driving his semi to Milwaukee picking up truckloads of Pabst Blue Ribbon, delivering packages for FedEx, or transporting dental retainers, Jack lit up every space he was in. He felt he had the “best job in the world” delivering Farmhaus Cider, a job where even the customers lovingly called him “Gramps”. This man loved his life and the people in it, and you felt that when you talked to him.

Jack was born to Garrett and Rose DeBaar, and grew up with his siblings, Wayne and Ann (Harvey Dougherty). Even as a kid, Jack could be mischievous and excelled at making people laugh. He was the center on the football team and a medal-earning swimmer at Union High School. He met Roberta “Bobbi” Adams getting an ice cream cone in 1950 and shared 71 years of marriage with her. They married in Chicago at Naval Station Great Lakes before moving to Corpus Christi, Texas, for boot camp with the U. S. Navy. They later moved to the naval base in Sanford, Florida, an area they would frequent again as snowbirds (often with his sister and brother-in-law) and make numerous friends from around the world during their tenure at Disney’s Wide World of Sports. Jack and Bobbi raised their family in Wyoming, Michigan, where Jack retired after 38 years with Henry Fox Sales.

He loved the Lord and thanked Him every day to be alive. Together with Bobbi, he was a long-time member of Wesley Park United Methodist Church, and later Georgetown United Methodist Church. And while he loved to follow every sport on earth, his favorite hobby was to work. And he worked hard, whether in his jobs (which he finally was fully retired at age 85), or lending a hand to his family and friends. He was also extremely giving and took joy from random acts of kindness; whether surprising total strangers with his employee guest passes to Disney or giving a stranger the hat off his head.

He was close with each of his children and loved nothing more than soaking in the Key West sun with Jack DeBaar and Joseph Seifert, camping across the country and eating peanut butter cookies (a little burnt!) with Cheryl and Marv Behrens, and watching football with Doug and Sally DeBaar.

He also couldn’t have been prouder of his grandchildren: taking on the role of wedding officiant at John Behrens and Megan Odegaard’s wedding and later official greeter at their bakery and farm market, attending horse races or getting ice cream with Kate Behrens, setting up the dock for Anthony DeBaar to fish, and watching Teagan DeBaar play softball.

Jack was close with Bobbi’s sisters and their husbands; this year marked a combined 200 years of marriage for Jack and Bobbi, Jim and Shirley Balk, and Dave and Mary Annis. He was also loved by many nieces, nephews and friends.

Jack’s kindness was legendary and the world was a little brighter with him in it.

Visitation will be from 1-3 pm on Saturday, June 1, at Matthysse Funeral Home (Grandville) 4145 Chicago Dr. SW. Join us in wearing bright clothes as we all know how much he loved his flashy shirts! The funeral will follow at 3 pm. Please bring your favorite stories of Jack to share during the service. Following the funeral and honor guard, a celebration of his life will be held at Farmhaus Cider (5025 Stanton St., Hudsonville, MI).