Wesley “Wes” Mark DeJong Jr., age 28, of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, died at home on July 16, 2022. He was born in Pontiac, Michigan, on July 23, 1993, to Wesley and Susan (Seals) DeJong.
Wes was born at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Pontiac. He attended Waterford Schools, playing baseball and football, and graduated from Waterford Mott High School in 2012. He was also active in many youth hockey programs. After high school, he attended Lake Superior State University and graduated in 2017, with a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management. There he worked as a student manager of Lake State’s Hockey, which led to him working his dream job of equipment manager for the team. He was a proud supporter of his cousins in all their endeavors and was looking forward to doing the same with their children.
Wes was a volunteer for Special Olympics Opening Eyes for fifteen years.
Wes loved hunting, golfing, hockey, fishing, and spending time at camp in Hornepayne, Ontario.
Wes is survived by his parents Wesley and Susan (Seals) DeJong of Hessel, Michigan; grandparents, James Seals of Carson City, Michigan, and Marilyn (Groenendyk) DeJong of Grand Rapids, Michigan; aunts and uncles, James and Sandy (Densmore) Seals of Grayling, Michigan, Robert and Nancy (O’Hearn) Seals of Carson City, Gary Clousing of Wheaton, Illinois, Carl and Janet (Veneman) DeJong of Fresno, California, Charles “Skip” and Mary (DeJong) VandenBerg of Hudsonville, Michigan, Cheryl (DeJong) Bultje of Muskegon, Michigan, and Jeff and Karen (DeJong)VanBemden of Colorado Springs, Colorado; cousins, Wade and Krista (Ross) Seals of Union Town, Ohio, Jay and Alice (Sedgewick) Seals of Norwich, Vermont, Patrick and Sarah (Seals) Doherty of Ashley, Michigan, Ashley Seals of Grand Rapids, Adam Seals of Hazel Park, Michigan, Allison Seals of Grand Rapids, Josh and Kristin Perkins of Weatherford, Texas, Eddie and Julie Becker of Madera, California, Chris and Kim Collum of Sacramento, California, Charles and Racheal VandenBerg of Onekama, Michigan, Peter and Ashley VandenBerg of Hudsonville, Michigan, Jordan and Michelle Koster USN, Tokyo, Japan, Aaron and Lauren Delgaty of Pine Bluff, North Carolina, Zach and Lisa Savage of Gwinn, Michigan, Ryan and Stephanie Church of Colorado Springs, Paul and Corrie VanBemden of Colorado Springs, “Shane” (Susan) VanBemden of Colorado Springs; and many children of cousins who loved “Uncle Wes” and whom he dearly loved.
Wes is preceded in death by his grandparents, Ruth (Shirley) Seals, and Wilbur L. DeJong; aunt, Judy (DeJong) Clousing; and cousin, Liam Doherty.
Memorials can be made out in memory of Wes DeJong to Lake Superior State University – Hockey Fund, 650 W. Easterday Avenue, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan 49783 or to Wes DeJong Memorial Fund at https://alumni.lssu.edu/support-hockey/
A Celebration of Life will be announced on a later date.
- Keeping The Piece Quilters Guild to hold annual show in September - July 2, 2023
- District Court Report: April 20, 2023 - April 21, 2023
- Early Invaders of the Eastern Upper Peninsula - April 18, 2023