April 28, 1931 - Sept. 15, 2007
DeGraff -- John Luverne "Jack" DeVaan, 76, of DeGraff died Saturday at his home on Lake Scandi.
The service will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. Bridgets Catholic Church in DeGraff. Burial will be at St. Bridget's Catholic Cemetery in DeGraff.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. today at Zniewski Funeral Home in Benson, with a parish prayer service at 5 and a rosary at 7, and will continue for one hour prior to the service Wednesday at the church.
He was born April 28, 1931, in Kildare Township, Swift County, to Theodore and Hendricka DeVaan. He attended school in DeGraff and Benson for a short time. He went on to attend Morris Ag School.
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He worked as a carpenter building houses in Texas. He was drafted into the United States Army Dec. 8, 1952. He received basic training in Fort Riley, Kan. He was stationed at Pusan; where he served in the Korean War with the 98th Quartermaster Battalion.
He married Mary Jane Rutledge Oct. 6, 1956, in Murdock. They lived in DeGraff for four years. In 1960, they moved to a farm north of DeGraff and farmed there for more than 50 years. In 1991, they moved to their lake home on Lake Scandi.
He served on the Murdock and United Farmers Elevator Board for many years, the Benson School Board and on various church boards. He was a member of St. Bridget's Catholic Church; where he served as an usher. He was also a member of the Kavanagh-Helgeson VFW Post 5342.
He is survived by his wife; children: Debora (and Tom) Berres of Apple Valley, Catherine DeVaan of St. Paul, Joseph DeVaan of DeGraff, Mary Alice (and Bob) Walsh of Dawson, Edward (and Julie) DeVaan of Waite Park, Steven (and Sandy) DeVaan of DeGraff, and James (and Lisa) DeVaan of Atwater; 17 grandchildren; five step-grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and one sister: Alice Cain of Willmar.
He was preceded in death by his daughter: Sarah in 1985, three sisters, three brothers and a son-in-law; Doug Bjork.
