DeBruin, Gerrit, 1864-1940

DEBRUYN, DEBRUIN, VERHOEF, VANDENBORN

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 3/30/2022 at 19:05:59

From the Rock Valley Bee, October 18, 1940:

FORMER R. V. MERCHANT IS SUMMONED
Gerrit De Bruyn, Sr. Dies At Grand Rapids

Gerrit DeBruyn, Sr., aged 77, former Rock Valley business man, died at his home in Grand Rapids, Mich., Monday afternoon at 3 o’clock. Mr. De Bruyn, who established the Home Meat market here in partnership with his son, Gerrit Jr., who is now the proprietor, went with his wife to Grand Rapids 7 years ago to make his home there with their daughter, Marie (Mrs. John Vander Toren), at 215 Grandville Avenue.

Born in Harderwyk, Netherlands, on January 3, 77 years ago, one of a family of 4 boys and 3 girls, he was married there September 3, 48 years ago. In 1912, their two sons, Gerrit and Evert, 17 and 15 years of age, came to America and the rest of the family soon followed. They located on a farm 4 miles southwest of town where they farmed for three years, then moving to a place near Inwood. Mr. De Bruyn and his oldest son established the meat market here in 1921, Mr. De Bruyn having been a butcher since he was 12 years of age in the old country.

He was a devoted member of the First Christian Reformed church of Rock Valley during his residence here and in this vicinity. News of his death came as a blow to the children and many friends here.

Funeral services are being held this Thursday afternoon in a Christian Reformed church in Grand Rapids and he will be buried there. His son, Gerrit, left Tuesday afternoon by train for that city.

The five children, who with their mother, survive are Gerrit, Rock Valley; Evert, De Motte, Indiana, suburb of Chicago; Minnie, Mrs. Martin Bliek, Rock Valley; Gertrude, Mrs. Dick Havelaar, Hudson, S.D.; Marie, Mrs. John Vander Toren, now of Buena Park, Calif. One daughter, Grace, died in childhood, and also another daughter, Marie, passed away before the family came to this country.

All of Mr. De Bruyn’s brothers and sisters who continued to reside in the Netherlands have passed on. He was the last one of the family. He is also survived by 24 grandchildren and by two great grandchildren. The family have the sincere sympathy of a host of friends here.

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RESEARCH NOTES

His death certificate (informant Mrs. Gerrit De Bruin) gives his birth date as Jan. 3, 1864 in the Netherlands; parents Gerrit De Bruin and Geertje Verhoef; wife Marie De Bruin, age 71; in the U.S. 28 years; died in St. Marys Hospital, Grand Rapids, at 3:00 p.m. October 14, 1940; cause, acute coronary thrombosis, duration 1 day.

His FindaGrave.com page shows him (Gerrit De Bruin) buried in Grandville Cemetery, Grandville, Kent County, Michigan, with a photo of his headstone. Wife Marie van den Born De Bruin (1869-1964). Children Gerrit De Bruin (1893-1981), Evert Edward DeBruin (1895-1980), Willemina Hillegonda H. de Bruin Bliek (1898-1991), Geertje de Bruin Havelaar (1901-1977), and Grace De Bruin (1907-1924).

WieWasWie.nl has a birth index record for Gerrit de Bruin; parents Gerrit de Bruin, age 55, a laborer, and Geertje Verhoef, age 36; born in Harderwijk, Gelderland, 3 Jan 1864. It also has a marriage index record for groom Gerrit de Bruin, age 28, butcher, parents Gerrit de Bruin and Geertje Verhoef; bride Maria van den Born, age 23, parents Evert van den Born, a miller, and Willemina Hillegonda Fijnvandraat; married in Harderwijk 17 August 1892.

The 1920 U.S. census shows the family to have immigrated in 1912; all apparently aliens; farming in the Sioux Center vicinity. In 1930 he is proprietor of a butcher shop in Rock Valley.