Meet Pete!

The 4 O’clock hour in the

DeBoer house was dubbed as “Beer Time”!

The baby of 7, Allen E. “Pete” DeBoer was born June 25, 1924 in a two-bedroom
house in Belleville, IL to Joseph “Pop” and Adelaide “Mom” DeBoer.
Pete began work as an adolescent, holding a variety of jobs, including setting pins
in a bowling alley at night, working in a shoe factory, driving a food delivery truck
and working for Cargill Grain.

Pete’s love of beer also began at a young age – taking sips from the pail of beer he
was sent to retrieve for “Pop” on his way home.

Drafted during World War II to the U.S. Army, Pete served in Germany as a
communications specialist. He earned a Bronze Star Medal Citation for the
performance of a heroic act and was honorably discharged on February 15, 1946.
Upon discharge he went to work for Western Union and eventually the
Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, from which he retired after 40 years.
On August 7, 1948, Pete married Marie K. Brenner, daughter of Edmund and
Elsie Brenner, of Smithton, IL. Pete and Marie were blessed with two daughters,
Deborah and Linda, 5 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great
grandchildren.

Always a hard worker, Pete ran a variety of side-businesses from home: Television
and radio repair, A/C and refrigeration and Saw Sharpening.
Pete and Marie enjoyed gardening, traveling and spending time together at their
Carlyle Lake house. They were happily married for 54 years before Marie passed
away of Ovarian Cancer on September 20, 2002.

Pete’s hobbies included fishing, golfing and singing. He recorded several CD’s and
loved singing Karaoke. After Marie’s passing, he spent many years singing and
giving away CDs to spread the word about Ovarian Cancer.
Anyone who knew Pete, knows he loved his beer. The 4 O’clock hour in the
DeBoer house was dubbed as “Beer Time”!

So raise a glass and have one for Pete! It’s 4 O’Clock somewhere!