Theodore Antone Verkuilen

Male 1911 - 1987  (76 years)


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  • Name Theodore Antone Verkuilen 
    Born 31 May 1911  Little Chute, Outagamie, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Occupation Funeral Home/Furniture St 
    Died 17 Sep 1987  Little Chute, Outagamie, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried St John Cemetery, Little Chute, Outagamie, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • New/2/29E
    Person ID I39228  Little Chute Genealogy
    Last Modified 31 Aug 2007 

    Father Anton Verkuilen,   b. 26 Apr 1889, Little Chute, Outagamie, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 27 Jul 1927, Little Chute, Outagamie, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 38 years) 
    Mother Anna Welhouse,   b. 04 Jun 1890, Little Chute, Outagamie, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 24 May 1965, Little Chute, Outagamie, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 74 years) 
    Married 10 May 1910  St Nicholas Church, Freedom, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F29020  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Mary Fleischman,   b. 10 Jan 1912, Kaukauna, Outagamie, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 24 Jan 1997, Little Chute, Outagamie, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 85 years) 
    Married 24 Oct 1933  St Mary Church, Kaukauna, Outagamie Co, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. Theodore Joseph Verkuilen,   b. 23 Mar 1935, Little Chute, Outagamie, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 29 Dec 2001, Neenah, Winnebago Co, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 66 years)
     2. Richard Harold Verkuilen,   b. 14 Jul 1938, Little Chute, Outagamie, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 06 Sep 2015  (Age 77 years)
     3. Janice Mary Verkuilen
     4. Mary Beth Verkuilen,   b. 12 Aug 1940, Little Chute, Outagamie, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 18 May 2019  (Age 78 years)
     5. Margaret Ann Verkuilen,   b. 05 Jul 1943, Little Chute, Outagamie, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 03 Dec 1985, Little Chute, Outagamie, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 42 years)
     6. Michael John Verkuilen,   b. 03 Feb 1952, Appleton, Outagamie, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 01 May 2003, Green Bay, Brown, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 51 years)
    Last Modified 21 Jul 2022 
    Family ID F13426  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Photos
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  • Notes 
    • Theodore Verkuilen

      My name is Theodore Verkuilen. Everyone called me "Red" Verkuilen. I was born on May 31, 1911 in Little Chute. My parents are Antone and Anna Verkuilen.

      I am the oldest of 3 children; having one brother and one sister. Our father, Antone operated a barber shop somewhere on Pine Street. In 1928, he bought into the furniture and undertaking business with his wife, Anna. Shortly after obtaining this business, my father died of a heart attack at 36 years of age. My mother, Anna, was left alone with 3 children and two businesses to operate. Mother then decided it was time for me to leave school at age 16 and help her run the businesses. About a year later, she sent me to embalming school in Milwaukee. After a couple of years, I obtained my license to become an embalmer and funeral director. Mother and I continued to run the business together until 1933 when I took over.

      Mary "Fleischman" Verkuilen and I were married on October 24, 1933. Together we had 6 children; 3 boys, Ted Jr, Richard, and Michael and 3 daughters; Janice Jansen, Mary Beth Vanden Bloomer and Margaret Ann Verkuilen.

      In 1940 I purchased a building on Canal Street and made it into a Funeral Home with living quarter for my mother and sister. My sister, who was suffering with tuberculosis for many years, died in 1961. She was 45 years old. My brother, Harold ran a tavern in Kaukauna and died at an early age in 1946. He was 33 years old.

      In 1942, disaster struck. The furniture business and livings quarters were destroyed by fire. Early in 1943, I rented a building on Grand Ave, next to Bunny Driessen's barber shop and ran the furniture business from there until I could get some credit from the bank. Money and building materials were hard to come by during the war. Later in 1943 things began to happen. By the end of the year I had my new store. In 1950, I had Jansen Construction build a block building with warehouse space and living quarter above. In 1951 I moved my family from Jefferson Street back to where we started from in 1933.

      After the war, I would do some volunteer work bringing food and clothing to the Indian reservation along with other people from Little Chute. I also volunteered for the American Legion helping them maintain their camps in northern Wisconsin for many years. I was extremely proud when the legion made me an honorary member.

      Mary and I have 22 grandchildren all of whom we are very proud. I passed away in 1987 at the age of 76. Mary followed in 1997 at the age of 85.

      My name is Dick Verkuilen and I am Theodore Verkuilen's son.

      Thank you for coming and have a great day.

      Little Chute Historical Society Cemetery Walk 2008