| Henry J. Soetaert |
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| People | |||
| Written by Terrie Cole | |||
| Friday, 26 February 2010 09:00 | |||
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1919-2010 Henry J. “Hank” Soetaert, 90, Paola, died Feb. 20, 2010, at The Sweet Life in Shawnee.  Hank was born Dec. 28, 1919, in Merriam, Mo. He was the son of Henry Joseph and Florence VanSittert Soetaert. He was united in marriage to Margaret Mary Hill on June 20, 1942. They became the parents of 12 children. He married Dorothy King on April 24, 1998. She resides in Olathe. He served his country with the United States Army where he was awarded two bronze stars and the Purple Heart for injuries sustained in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II. He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign WarS and the American Legion. He worked as a rural mail carrier and also farmed near Gardner and Olathe. After retirement, he had other business interests including managing Paola Country Club, Olathe American Legion and Paola VFW. He enjoyed a firm handshake, family, grandchildren, Thanksgiving gatherings, a good (or bad) cigar, a game of cards, hunting, gardening, golfing, boating, his Belgian heritage and especially visiting with his many relatives and friends. He was a member of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Paola. His first wife, Margaret, preceded him in death on March 5, 1997. He was also preceded in death by an infant son, Joseph; five brothers, John, Vic, Chuck, Maurice and Adolph; and three sisters, Marge Dupont, Mary Broockerd and Josephine VanShoelandt. He is survived by 11 children, Patrick Soetaert of Springfield, Mo., Pamela Nelson of Lake Lotawana, Mo., Mike Soetaert of Salina, Kan., Thomas Soetaert of Emporia, Judith Geraghty of Mission, Kan., Gerald Soetaert of Russell, Kan., Paul Soetaert of Shawnee, Maggie Doherty of Paola, Amy Campbelll of Bentonville, Ark., Angela Weathersbee of Wasola, Mo., and Annette Soetaert of Fayetteville, Ark.; one sister, Bernadine Gast of Illinois; 24 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Paola Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 501 E. Chippewa St., with viewing at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the church under the direction of the Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home, P.O. Box 430, Osawatomie, KS 66064, (913) 755-2114. Pallbearers will be grandsons, John Soetaert, Joe Soetaert, Danny Soetaert, Peter Soetaert, Brian Doherty, Kevin Geraghty, Andrew Campbell, Albert Weathersbee, Henry Weathersbee and Nathan Weathersbee. Burial will be at St. Vincent’s Cemetery in Rogers, Ark., with military honors at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Holy Trinity Catholic School Endowment Fund or the Medical Aide for Children of Latin America.
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