Don Richard Deeren, Sr., 72, of Sherwood, passed away on Friday, July 8, 2022 at home.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 16, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at Crossroads Bible Church in Sherwood, with Pastor Trent Hammond officiating.
Family and friends may gather just prior to the funeral, from 10:00 -11:00 a.m., also at Crossroads Bible Church on Saturday, July 16, 2022. Interment will be at Sherwood Cemetery at a later date.
Don was born November 29, 1949 in Battle Creek, Michigan to Don Lowell and Lillie Lucille (Monroe) Deeren. He attended Union City High School and while still a student, worked as a teller at Southern Michigan Bank & Trust, where he developed skill with numbers, figures and money. He graduated in 1968 and worked briefly for Fire Aparatus in Battle Creek, wiring fire trucks, before serving from 1969-71 in the U.S. Army.
Don was stationed in Vietnam as a medic with the 1st Air Cavalry and was a bronze star recipient. When he returned to Michigan, he worked again at Fire Aparatus until the business closed, then was employed for several years by Eaton in Battle Creek until it closed. Don finished his career working at RBW in Coldwater, which became MPC, then MPP during his employ. He retired on military disability.
On December 22, 1969, Don was united in marriage to the former Royce Ann Van Dam in Coldwater. They made their home in Sherwood. She was the love of his life for 52 years of marriage, before preceding him in death on February 10, 2022. They attended the Union City Assembly of God Church for several years, enjoyed participating in a church mission trip to Kosovo in 2000 and belonged to the Crossroads Church in Sherwood later in life. They took in several family members over the years and worked as a team catering special events in the community.
Don had a very sarcastic sense of humor and loved to tell comedic stories. He and his wife functioned as an inseparable unit and kept people laughing with their banter, including Don’s favorite schtick that she fed him Alpo and slipped him arsenic. He served on the Sherwood Village Council for many years and was mayor for a dozen.
He was good at grilling, made a delicious meatloaf and was famous for his pineapple upside down cake. He had coffee every day with his son, Donny, and enjoyed spending time talking with his family members.
Don is survived by her children, Don “Donny” (Nadine) Deeren of Sherwood and Joy Deeren of Tekonsha; grandchildren James Zongker, Jody Zongker and Tabitha Deeren, all of Sherwood, Haley Bosch of Colorado, Kyle Deeren of Bronson, Christina Stokes of Athens, Alissa Wilbur of Bronson, Kathryn Blakenship of Sherwood, Katherine Woodward of Sherwood, Nikolias Standish of Howell and Alex Wikkerink of Virginia; 14 great-grandchildren; a brother, Billy (Judy) Deeren of Sherwood; his church family; his beloved pitbull mix, Benson; and his cat, Snowball “Kitty Kitty”.
Arrangements are being handled by Lighthouse Funeral and Cremation, Union City.
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