OGDEN — Gerard Remkes, 77, died April 16. Remkes was born Sept. 14, 1929, in Groningen, the Netherlands, to Carolus and Catherina Remkes. He was raised in the Netherlands and graduated from trade school. After graduation, he served in the Dutch Army and was stationed in Indonesia on the Island of Java. Upon his return, he graduated from the police academy and served as a police officer in Amsterdam. He married Janny Postema Aug. 10, 1954, in the Netherlands, and in 1956, they emmigrated to Salt Lake City. They moved to Ogden in 1960, and Remkes started his career in the construction industry, later founding Remkes Construction. He loved to create works of art through wood carvings and stained glass windows. He was one of the founding members of the St. James Catholic Parish, where he served many years as a eucharistic minister and in the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) program. He was awarded the Silver Beaver Award for his many years of service in the scouting program. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Janny; five sons, Rob (Susie), Ron (DiAnna), Gert (Sheryl), George (Laura), and Tom (Jamie); 17 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and 14 siblings. A Mass of Chrisian Burial was celebrated at St. James Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. James building fund.
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