John Jack DEGROOTE

29 NOV 1943 - 28 DEC 2020

• BIRTH: 29 NOV 1943, Hudson Lake, La Porte, IN
• DEATH: 28 DEC 2020, Hudson Lake, La Porte, IN

• MARRIAGE: 13 MAR 1965, Rolling Prarie, Laporte County, IN

INDEX

[N26857] John DeGroote
Nov. 29, 1943 - Dec. 28, 2020

HUDSON LAKE, IN - John M. “Jack” DeGroote, 77, of Hudson Lake, Indiana passed away Monday, December 28, 2020. Jack was born on November 29, 1943 to Andrew and Isabella (Riffel) DeGroote. Jack was a truck driver having worked for Federal Express for 15 years and retiring in 1988. He then went on to work for Eagle Global Logistics for many years. He was a member of St. John Kanty Catholic Church where he served as an usher and helped with maintenance and many projects at the parish. Jack served his country in the United States Navy, was a member of the American Legion, and served on the Hudson Township Advisory board for many years. Jack gifted a one-acre land parcel to the Indiana DNR for the new Hudson Lake public access. He chose to donate the land that recently became the Andrew L. DeGroote public access site. “God gave us a reason to do it by blessing my family use of the lake over the years and this was our opportunity to give something back,” said the modest Hudson Lake man. In addition, it gave him the opportunity to honor his brother Andrew who died in a hunting accident in 1945, just two years after Jack was born.

https://www.southbendtribune.com/sports/outdoors/man-donates-hudson-lake-public-access-site-to-honor-his-brother-who-died-in-hunting/article_e79462dc-dbdb-5a5a-a393-734fab4cd2b7.html

On March 13, 1965, Jack married Sharon M. Kwiecinski, who preceded him in death on November 20, 2017. Jack leaves behind a daughter, Tammy (Tamara Marie) Christman and husband Dan of Mishawaka, a son, Butch (John Michael) DeGroote and wife Carrie of La Porte, a daughter, Jaclyn Michele Cox; 13 grandchildren: Randy Newman, Heather (Brandon) Holcomb, Alex Newman, Tiara DeGroote, Zach (Sara) Christman, Andrew Cox, Marcus Cox, Michael (Hope) DeGroote, Kennedie Bellegante, Ally DeGroote, Elexas Cox Camp, Ashlyn Bellegante, and Matthew Chance, who preceded in death; great-grandchildren, Layla, Nevaeh, Emma, Liliana, Ava, Sandy, Jaxon, Alex, Lochlan, and Ellaina; and a sister, Joyce (Pierre) Terrault of Hudson Lake. Jack was preceded in death by his wife, grandson, brothers, Andrew and Robert DeGroote and a sister, Dolores DeGroote. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. C.S.T. Saturday, January 2, 2021, at St. John Kanty Catholic Church in Rolling Prairie. Burial will follow at St. John Kanty Cemetery. The Funeral Mass can be viewed live at, http://www.stjohnkanty.com All in attendance must wear a mask and social distance. Memorial contributions may be made to St. John Kanty Parish, 7012 N 600 E, Rolling Prairie, IN 46371.Please share prayers, condolences and memories with the family at Essling Funeral Home.com.Published in South Bend Tribune on Dec. 30, 2020.