Linda L. DeBruin

Linda L. DeBruin passed into the loving arms of her Lord and Savior on her 82nd birthday, February 20, 2025. She was born Linda Lea Butler on February 20, 1943. After some time in the Green Bay orphanage, she was lovingly taken into the foster home of Casper and Phoebe Griesbach and stayed there until she married Francis Hofacker, on May 11, 1963. They had a daughter, Sarah, and took in countless foster children at the farm in Mackville. The door to that house was always open, welcoming in friends, family and strangers alike. There was always a pot of coffee ready to be brewed, something had been baked, and the kitchen would fill with talk and laughter. Not all things are perfect and they divorced in 1998, after 35 years together. She married Wayne DeBruin on February 25, 1999, and they had many happy years and adventures together.
Linda worked for the Abstract Office in the Register of Deeds after high school until she became a mom. Her beautiful hand writing was part of the reason she was hired. She left that job and stayed home with the kids, fulfilling her dream of being the best mom she could be. Her first job when reentering the workforce was as the secretary at St. Edward School in Mackville. She then went on to Fox Heights Abstract and Title, and then, by some course of fate, ended up back at the Abstract Office in the Outagamie County Register of Deeds office. She took great pride in her work there, made many great lifelong friends, and earned a very happy retirement in 2009. She also served as the Town Clerk for the Town of Center for a number of years, worked the elections, and loved every minute of being on the board of canvas for many years. She had just retired from that position this year.
Linda was an avid game player. Kids and grandkids alike remember hours of board games and card games. Mom and Roz would set up Monopoly and play for days! She absolutely loved the nights spent playing games with Jeff and Mary, her niece and nephew. Her nieces, Kay and Missy, spent a lot of time with her and always remained special to her. She ran the sheepshead parties at church for years. She loved to read and would talk about a good series she had found for months. She loved her card parties with her friends Mary, Lynn, and Wendy.
Linda was an active member of St Edward Parish in Mackville for most of her life. She played the organ for Masses and her favorite, the Christmas children's choir. Linda was an active member of the Christian Mothers and worked many events and headed up various committees. She served as a Girl Scout leader for many years and especially loved her Cadette Troops. Linda was very proud of her faith. The last 10 years or so, she and Wayne found a new church family at St. Joe's in Appleton. She loved serving Sunday donuts with her friend Sharon, baking for the bake sales, and volunteering any way she could.
Most important to her was her family. She took in many children over the years and always felt a kindred connection with them because of her own childhood. Roz and Joe Hoskins came to stay in 1972, and never left. They were hers in every way. She loved them dearly as her own. They were also able to adopt Kerry and Tracy. Linda was a great mom, caring and gentle, strict and loving, all in one. We learned to work hard and play hard. No matter the day she put in, she always had time for her kids. Then came grandkids and oh how she enjoyed spoiling them! Sleepovers with hours of games, popcorn, and making pancakes in the morning. Linda loved them all so much. A true blessing was seeing great grandchildren. She said they filled a spot in her heart she didn't even know was there.
Linda had quite a greeting committee waiting for her! Her parents, foster parents, all of her natural siblings, first husband, friends and many, many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, and some nieces and nephews, including godchild Kathy Skibba.
She is survived by her husband Wayne DeBruin; sister, Mary Schoenberger; children: Sarah (Randy) VanCamp, Roz (Jeff) Lemke, Joe Hoskins, Tracy Decker and Kerry Root; grandchildren: Tim, Abby, Joey, Amanda, Allison, Jenny, Brandon, Katlyn, Darian, Serenity and Drake; and great grandchildren: Emery, Harper, Desmond, Kayden and Klayton. She is further survived by in-laws: Cheryl, Geraldine and Tony Hofacker, Mary Butler, Marvin and Kitty DeBruin, and Carol Lemke; and many nieces and nephews.
Mom, you were a warrior at life. We could have lost you 28 years ago to meningitis and are so grateful you fought with everything you had to come back to us. You beat multiple cancers and took on an amputation like no one has ever seen. You had told me right before you broke your leg that you were tired and didn't know if you had another fight in you. You proved you did by getting so far, but this battle wasn't to be won. You will live on in all of us for forever. We love you so much.
Visitation will be held Saturday, March 1, 2025 at ST. JOSEPH PARISH (404 W. Lawrence Street, Appleton) from 9:00 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. Her Funeral Mass will follow at 11:00 a.m. with Br. Ray Stadmeyer, O.F.M. Cap. officiating.
Special thanks to the First Responders, especially Liz Kurey, the ambulance team, the doctors and nurses at Theda Care ER on Meade Street, and the Hospice nurse who guided her peaceful transition to eternal life.