Joseph DeRosier
September 21, 1931 — October 12, 2017
Joseph “Joe” Mitchell DeRosier, age 86, of Brainerd died Thursday, October 12 at St. Cloud Hospital of heart failure. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM, Monday, October 16, 2017 at St. Francis Catholic Church in Brainerd with Fr. Tony Wroblewski officiating. Family and friends are invited to gather one hour prior to Mass.
Joe was born September 19, 1931 in Brainerd, to Mitchell and Clara (Schlagel) DeRosier. He was a lifetime resident of Brainerd. He graduated from St. Francis of Assisi school in 1946 and from Brainerd Senior High School in 1950. He attended Brainerd Junior College, the University of North Dakota at Wahpeton and served in the United States Marine Corps. He married Phyllis Amanda Radermacher in Minneapolis on September 15, 1956. He purchased DeRosier Plumbing & Heating Company from his father, and operated it over 50 years.
He was a member of St. Francis Catholic Church, where he served as an usher for 25 years and a member of the parish council. He was active in Monsignor Thomas F. Scott Council #1491 Knights of Columbus for 52 years. He served as Grand Knight and was District Deputy for 5 years, where he served Brainerd, the Cuyuna Range, Little Falls, and Pierz Councils. He started a Council at Bull Dog Lake, in Hillman. He was Faithful Navigator of the Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree Assembly and he chaired many events and projects, including two Third Degree state conventions in Brainerd and three Fourth Degree Exemplifications over his 52 years of membership. The State of Minnesota’s fourth Degree honored him into their Hall of Fame in 1992. Joe was also a lifetime member of the Elks Lodge, served as President of the Brainerd Jaycees in 1960 & 1961 and was named the Jaycees Outstanding Young Man of the Year in 1962. While in the Jaycees, he received three gold pins and was a Regional Vice President in the area.
He served four years on the Brainerd City Council, the last two years as Vice President. He was one of the original members of the Crow Wing County Planning and Zoning Commission, where he served for 7 years, the last two years as Chairman.
Joe was a Scoutmaster at St. Francis School, Troop 45 for three years and inducted into the Order of the Arrow at Camp Clyde.
His most passionate philanthropic project was raising funds for Fr. Wasson’s orphan homes in Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru. Along with his wife Phyllis and a score of volunteers, they raised over a quarter of a million dollars by hosting fiestas at their lake home for the children of Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos. Joe was on the International Board of Directors of NPH since 1984. He coordinated construction teams to work at orphanages in Guatemala, Haiti, and Mexico and was awarded the WCCO Good Neighbor Award.
Joe is survived by Phyllis, his loving wife of 61 years; his favorite daughter, Julie deRosier-Paul (Jeff Paul), of Bloomington; three sons, Mitchell of Brainerd; Marcel (Susan) of Coon Rapids and their children, Adam (Patti) and their daughter, Lena Jo; Clara (Jon) Albert and their daughter, Bella; and Jon Paul (Janet) of Brooklyn Center and their children, Andrew, Caleb, Nathan, Lauren and Eli. His parents; a son, Maurice; a brother, Cyril; and three sisters, Alice, Eunice and Cleo preceded him in death.
Memorials are preferred, to NPH USA, 945 Broadway Street NE, Ste 230, Minneapolis, MN 55413-2500 or St. Francis of the Lakes Catholic School in Brainerd. Services entrusted to Brenny Funeral Chapel and Cremation Service of Baxter, 800-824-5051, www.brenny.com.
Joseph “Joe” Mitchell DeRosier, age 86, of Brainerd died Thursday, October 12 at St. Cloud Hospital of heart failure. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM, Monday, October 16, 2017 at St. Francis Catholic Church in Brainerd with Fr. Tony Wroblewski officiating. Family and friends are invited to gather one hour prior to Mass.
Joe was born September 19, 1931 in Brainerd, to Mitchell and Clara (Schlagel) DeRosier. He was a lifetime resident of Brainerd. He graduated from St. Francis of Assisi school in 1946 and from Brainerd Senior High School in 1950. He attended Brainerd Junior College, the University of North Dakota at Wahpeton and served in the United States Marine Corps. He married Phyllis Amanda Radermacher in Minneapolis on September 15, 1956. He purchased DeRosier Plumbing & Heating Company from his father, and operated it over 50 years.
He was a member of St. Francis Catholic Church, where he served as an usher for 25 years and a member of the parish council. He was active in Monsignor Thomas F. Scott Council #1491 Knights of Columbus for 52 years. He served as Grand Knight and was District Deputy for 5 years, where he served Brainerd, the Cuyuna Range, Little Falls, and Pierz Councils. He started a Council at Bull Dog Lake, in Hillman. He was Faithful Navigator of the Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree Assembly and he chaired many events and projects, including two Third Degree state conventions in Brainerd and three Fourth Degree Exemplifications over his 52 years of membership. The State of Minnesota’s fourth Degree honored him into their Hall of Fame in 1992. Joe was also a lifetime member of the Elks Lodge, served as President of the Brainerd Jaycees in 1960 & 1961 and was named the Jaycees Outstanding Young Man of the Year in 1962. While in the Jaycees, he received three gold pins and was a Regional Vice President in the area.
He served four years on the Brainerd City Council, the last two years as Vice President. He was one of the original members of the Crow Wing County Planning and Zoning Commission, where he served for 7 years, the last two years as Chairman.
Joe was a Scoutmaster at St. Francis School, Troop 45 for three years and inducted into the Order of the Arrow at Camp Clyde.
His most passionate philanthropic project was raising funds for Fr. Wasson’s orphan homes in Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru. Along with his wife Phyllis and a score of volunteers, they raised over a quarter of a million dollars by hosting fiestas at their lake home for the children of Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos. Joe was on the International Board of Directors of NPH since 1984. He coordinated construction teams to work at orphanages in Guatemala, Haiti, and Mexico and was awarded the WCCO Good Neighbor Award.
Joe is survived by Phyllis, his loving wife of 61 years; his favorite daughter, Julie deRosier-Paul (Jeff Paul), of Bloomington; three sons, Mitchell of Brainerd; Marcel (Susan) of Coon Rapids and their children, Adam (Patti) and their daughter, Lena Jo; Clara (Jon) Albert and their daughter, Bella; and Jon Paul (Janet) of Brooklyn Center and their children, Andrew, Caleb, Nathan, Lauren and Eli. His parents; a son, Maurice; a brother, Cyril; and three sisters, Alice, Eunice and Cleo preceded him in death.
Memorials are preferred, to NPH USA, 945 Broadway Street NE, Ste 230, Minneapolis, MN 55413-2500 or St. Francis of the Lakes Catholic School in Brainerd. Services entrusted to Brenny Funeral Chapel and Cremation Service of Baxter, 800-824-5051, www.brenny.com.
Visitation one hour prior to Mass. Interment at St. Mathias Parish Cemetery.
SERVICES
Monday, October 16, 2017
11:00 AM
St. Francis Catholic Church
412 N. 8th St.
Brainerd, MN 56401
Visitation one hour prior to Mass. Interment at St. Mathias Parish Cemetery.
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