JOHN VICTOR ANKENBRUCK

JOHN VICTOR ANKENBRUCK, formerly of Palisades Park, Mich., died Monday, Aug. 21, 2017 at Woodland Terrace, Niles, Mich. Born Oct. 10, 1925 in Fort Wayne, Ind., he was a son of Helen Margaret Nussbaum and Oscar Ankenbruck; he was the last surviving of their six children. John graduated from Central Catholic High School, Fort Wayne, in 1944 and entered the U.S. Navy Air Corps. Following World War II, he attended the University of Notre Dame, graduating in 1949. John married LaVerne Alfoldy in 1956 and the family lived most of their lives in Fort Wayne. John was a writer and columnist for the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, eventually becoming the editorial page editor. He was named a winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1962 for a series of articles on the treatment of the mentally ill. John is the founding editor of "Today's Catholic", the Fort Wayne-South Bend Catholic Diocese newspaper in 1985. John was also a historian and the author of several Fort Wayne, Ind.-area history books, including "Five Forts", "The Voice of the Turtle", and "Twentieth Century History of Fort Wayne". During their later years, John and LaVerne owned and operated Ankenbruck's Antiques in Albion, Ind., before retiring to Palisades Park in 1996. John is survived by five daughters, Lisa Ankenbruck of Palisades Park, Mich., Judy Ankenbruck of Fort Wayne, Ind., Anna Ankenbruck of South Haven, Mich., Eve (John) Finnessy of Granger, Ind. and Carrie (Jim) Dohnal, Roselle, Ill.; six grandchildren, Maya Ankenbruck, Austin, Maggie, and Elissa Finnessy, and Joshua and Rachel Dohnal; and one great-grandchild, Conner, as well as a special niece, Carol Meaney-Halperin of South Bend, Ind.; and many nieces and nephews. His wife, LaVerne, son, Phillip John, and grandson, Aaron Jerome Greengard, preceded him in death. Mass of Christian Burial is 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 25, 2017 at the St. Basil Catholic Church in South Haven. Father Fabio Garzon officiating. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017 at Filbrandt Family Funeral Home in South Haven with a Rosary service beginning at 7 p.m. John will be laid to rest in Lakeview Cemetery in South Haven. The family is being helped by the Filbrandt Family Funeral Home in South Haven, 637-0333. To share your thoughts and memories on the family's online guestbook visit www.FilbrandtFFH.com