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Victgor Broekema

November 12, 2021
Neshkoroa, WI

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Victor Jon Broekema died peacefully November 12, 2020 and a memorial will be held on Saturday, November 27, 2021 at Zion United Methodist Church where he was known for helping older women put on their coats. He suffered from Alzheimer's disease for eleven years supported by spouse Karen Holseth-Broekema, family and friends. He expressed appreciation every day for things people did for him. Vic was a warm, kind, humble man who loved is family, wanted nothing more than that every one of them be happy in their life. He called his mother every Sunday. He read the entire bible and part of the Koran. He enjoyed lifelong athletic activities of x-country skiing, snowshoeing, bicycling, canoe/kayaking, hunting and the family ate whatever he shot. He was bicycling on a trike up until a year before he died. He and Karen shared significant travel including living in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico for a month 10 years of his retirement. Vic was a professor at UW-Madison for seven years, Chief Psychologist at Central State Hospital then Wisconsin Resource Center a maximum security mental health facility that was part of Winnebago Mental Health Hospital where he developed the program for the Facility and was liked and respected by staff as well as residents. He remained life long friends with several Ph.D Graduate students who were actively supportive of him especially in his final years. Vic was born and raised in Kalamazoo, MI the son of Clarence and Josephine (Moerman) Broekema where he participated and lettered in all sports. He went to Wayne State University getting a Ph.D in Clinical Psychology, and playing football for a year. He married Marilyn Chapman and had two children, David of Japan and Wendy Broekema of Madison. Vic married Karen Holseth Nealis June 28, 1978, and was an active stepfather/father to Shannon Nealis until Shannon's death in 2008 from a motorcycle accident. Vic and Karen Holseth-Broekema were married 42 years and had a son, Samuel Broekema (Ridgefield, CT). He is survived by spouse Karen Holseth-Broekema (Ridgefield, CT), brother Garrison Broekema of San Francisco, son David Broekema and Tomo Otsuko, son Henry of Japan, Wendy Broekema and children Josh, Evan, Adelaide of Madison, Sam Broekema and Eric Riley (Ridgefield, CT) Sally Nealis and children Taylor of New Glarus and Alexandra of Mesa, AZ. Shannon Nealis preceded him in death in 2008. Memorial gifts could be sent to Neshkoro Area Community Center, Box 120, Neshkoro, WI 54960 where he was befriended and supported like family the last five years of his life and to whom his family extends heartfelt appreciation.