Gerald (Gerry) W. Vander Putten died peacefully Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015, at the Wisconsin Veterans Home in King.
Born Aug. 18, 1942, in Shawano to R.J. and Agnes (Summers) Vander Putten, Gerry was a fun-loving, thoughtful and creative man who loved nature, travel, Native American culture and his dear family. He graduated from Shawano High School, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and the Brown School of Broadcasting in Minneapolis. His career journey included Army Intelligence service in Germany, radio broadcasting (Jerry Van) in Neenah and Marinette, and hotel supervision at the Landmark in Door County.
Gerry was truly a Renaissance man. He loved music, from Elvis to jazz and Native American powwow songs. He gardened, crafted authentic Native American leather and bead work, cooked up a variety of original recipes, and often quietly came to the aid of people in need.
Survivors are his son and daughter-in-law, Pete Nelson and Jennifer Hallam-Nelson; his treasured grandsons, Zach Hallam, Cody Hallam and Casey Nelson; his sisters, Mary (Walt) Chapman and Margaret Soffian; sister-in-law, Barb Vander Putten; nephews, Keith Vander Putten, Joel (Amy) Chapman, Ananda LoDuca and Amos Soffian; nieces, Lori (Pete) Bodde-Zarm, Mary (Mike) Schoeller, Julie Chapman and Viva Soffian.
He was predeceased by his parents; brother, Wayne Vander Putten; and sisters, Betty Bodde and Carole Deising.
Warm thanks to King’s Fourth Floor Olsen Halls staff, especially Penny, Edna, Jodie, Sarita and Dr. Anderson; and to ThedaCare at Hospice staff, especially Rachel. Their compassionate care of and friendship with Gerry were a comfort to our family. A celebration of Gerry’s life will be held in the spring in the northern countryside he so loved.
Memorials to ThedaCare at Home, 100 West Lawrence St., Suite 422, Appleton, WI 54911, or the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Grand Central Station, P.O. 4777, New York, NY 10163.
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