Delores Gerrits

Delores Gerrits - Kaukauna - Age 87, passed away peacefully in her home on Sept. 21, 2025, of a broken heart just two months after the passing of her beloved husband, Richard. Delores was born on Oct. 15, 1937, to the late Bernard and Elizabeth (Daul) Biese in Kaukauna. This is where she met the love of her life, Richard, and they married on Oct. 26, 1957, at Holy Cross Church in Kaukauna, where they resided until 1972 when they moved to Greenville. Upon retiring, they moved to their cottage on Lake Gogebic in Marenisco, Mich., where they spent 23 years in the heaven of the north woods. Delores enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere and found it perfect for diving into her most favorite pastime, reading. When her nose wasn’t buried in a book, she enjoyed visiting with their closest neighbors and doing crafts. Her greatest joy was bringing her three grandchildren to the cottage and spoiling them rotten. Delores was an active member of the Lake Gogebic Fireflies. In 2019, they moved back to Kaukauna to be closer to family. After working part time and raising their daughter, Delores earned her teacher’s certificate from Outagamie County Teacher’s College. After graduation she taught at St. Peter and Paul Catholic School in Hortonville while continuing her education and earning her bachelor’s degree from UW Oshkosh. She remained at St. Peter and Paul her entire career.  Delores is survived by daughter: Paula (Mark) Huelsbeck; three grandchildren: Ben (Aly) Huelsbeck of Menasha, Ethan Huelsbeck and Abby of Appleton; Aubrey (Keith) Rabideau of Kaukauna; great-grandchildren: Awnya and Kavin Rabideau; sisters: JoAnn Buechler, Patricia (Burt) McIntyre; brother: Daniel Biese; brother-in-law: Lance Goetzman; sisters-in-law: Carol (Gerhartz) Biese and Viola (Gerrits) Dickrell, along with many nieces and nephews. Besides her parents, Delores was preceded in death by her husband: Richard; her brothers: Richard, Gene, and Paul; sisters: MaryLee Rosenow and Donna Goetzman; in-laws: Dorothy (Eickler) Biese, Betty (Thein) Biese, Rita (Hoffman) Biese, Ervin Rosenow, Gene Buechler, Melvin Gerrits, Agnes Gerrits, Loraine and Gayland Otto, Ethel and Eugene Walker, and Ambrose Dickrell. A Funeral Mass for Delores will be held on Friday, Oct. 10, at 11 a.m. at Holy Cross Church, 309 Desnoyer St., Kaukauna. Visitation will begin at the church at 10 a.m. and will continue until the time of the Mass. Delores will be laid to rest in Holy Cross Cemetery. For online condolences, please visit www.verkuilenfh.com. A special thanks to her wonderful neighbors: Lucas and Sara, Jim and Maggie, Mark and Julie, Zach and Shayla, Jared and Alicia and Jerry.

VERKUILEN-VAN DEURZEN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 2401 Fieldcrest Drive, Kaukauna, WI 54130, (920) 766-2099, www.verkuilenfh.com