John "Jack" Gerrit Brauer

John “Jack” Gerrit Brauer, 85, of Neenah, Wisconsin passed away peacefully, surrounded by family on April 20, 2024. 

Jack was born in Appleton, Wisconsin on March 5, 1939, to Gerrit and Valeria (Derfus) Brauer. 

Jack married the love of his life, Dorothy Vanderloop on May 2, 1959, and together they raised 2 wonderful children. This year they would have been married 65 years. 

He lived all his life in Wisconsin and graduated from Appleton West High School in 1957. He walked away from a successful career in the insurance industry to start his publishing career in the 1970’s. He co-founded Deer and Deer Hunting Magazine with Al Hofacker. After selling Deer & Deer Hunting to Krause Publications in 1992, Brauer took up numerous hobbies in retirement, including walleye fishing, graphic design, logo development, watercolor painting and model trains.   

He started painting in 2009 with watercolors, had been sketching with pen and ink for 20 years and specialized in doing artwork for private homes and businesses. He self-published guides and produced educational programs about hunting and fishing and graphic design and development of logos for companies. 

He is survived by his wife, his son and daughter in law Doug and Linda Brauer, his daughter and son in law Linda and Joe Meissner, grandchildren Melissa (Alex) Zabel, Ashley (Anthony Daniels) Brauer, Arin (Mike Hanson) Meissner, Trevor (Estee Wilmsen) Meissner, Mara Meissner, sister Char and Ed Porath, sisters-in-law Mary (John) Morelli, An (Ralph) Gehrmann, brother-in-law Ed Mauthe, aunt Lois Derfus, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.  

He was preceded in death by his parents, mother and father-in-law Tony and Margaret Vanderloop, and sister-in-law Joan Mauthe and numerous aunts and uncles. 

“When a hunter is in a tree stand with morale values and the proper hunting ethics and richer for the experience, that hunter is 20 feet closer to God.” (Fred Bear) 

A Celebration of Life will be held for Jack on Friday, May 10, 2024, at Lucky Dog’z (157 South Green Bay Rd., Neenah, WI 54956) from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm.