Loretta C. Verhasselt

Loretta Christine (DeCleene) Verhasselt, 93, passed away Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021 after a visit from Msgr. Stephen Downes, surrounded by close family and supported by loving prayers of many relatives and friends. 

Born Jan. 31, 1928 on the family farm in DePere, she graduated from DePere High School and then worked at the Hickory Grove Sanitorium. Through her friendship at work with her future mother-in-law, Josie Verhasselt, she met her husband Basil and they married Jan. 5, 1949. 

They moved their young family to Santa Barbara, Ca. in 1960 where she formed deep roots in the community, volunteered at Saint Raphael‘s Catholic Church, starting as President of the Women’s Council in 1962 and in 1996 as President of the Women’s Auxiliary. She was a founding member and 2001 Volunteer of the Year of the Santa Barbara Breast Cancer Resource Center and a longtime member of the Ladies of Charity. 

She loved baking bread for her family and offered her homemade bread and treats to others in a friendship. A great cook, she worked in the Goleta Valley Junior High Cafeteria for many years before becoming a school bus driver. 

An avid gardener, she enjoyed “digging in the dirt”, sharing her love of nature and flowers, competing in various Santa Barbara Garden Shows and was a vibrant woman, loving mother and grandmother, dedicated friend, volunteer and organizer. Her laughter, joy of life and knack for bringing people together will be remembered and missed. 

Survivors include two sons Jerome (Susan) Verhasselt and Jim (Sharon) Verhasselt; a daughter, Karen (Peter) Arnold; four grandsons; four great-grandchildren; four DeCleene sisters, Helen Verhasselt, Alice Morrell, Joyce DeCleene and Judy (Bob) Johanski, all living in Wisconsin and a sister-in-law, Zita Wessa of Arizona. 

Along with her parents, William and Christine DeCleene, she was preceded in death by her husband, Basil Verhasselt and nine siblings, Howard DeCleene, Leo DeCleene, Harold (LaVerne) DeCleene, Vic (Leona) DeCleene, Rita (Donald) Boucher, Sister Mary DeCleene, Bernice (Howard) Strenn, Aloysius (Joann) DeCleene and Sister Vonnie DeCleene. 

A Vigil Service was held at Welch-Ryce-Haider Funeral Chapel on Friday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m.  A Funeral Mass was held on Saturday, Oct. 16 at 9 a.m. at St Raphael’s Church. Donations can be made to FORCE: Facing Heredity Cancer Empowered www.facingourrisk.org/donate

Category:

Subscriber Login