Robert Francis DeHaan II

ROBERT (Rob) FRANCIS DEHAAN II, age 47, of Houston, Texas went home to be with Jesus on November 5, 2012. Robert passed away in his sleep at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas after a very short and difficult battle with lung cancer.

Rob was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on April 2, 1965 to Ramon and Penny DeHaan. Rob had two sisters; Rae Ann Johnson of Austin, Texas and Judy Russ of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Rob grew up in Saginaw, Michigan, where he attended St. Thomas Aquinas School in Saginaw, but didn’t graduate, leaving home when he was 17 years old “to seek his fortune” or maybe to rebel a bit.

Rob was always a hard worker and he was successful various jobs. As a youth he worked as a bagger at Pat’s Food Store in Saginaw, Michigan. He worked in the restaurant business in San Antonio, Texas, arriving in San Antonio at a late hour and working almost immediately. He never was one to turn down a good party, but he always made it to work and usually ended up in a managerial position. He drove a forklift at a steel heat treatment plant, worked his way up in retail with Philips Magnavox and later Office Max, where he was Assistant Manager. While at Office Max, Rob returned to school to earn his high school diploma. Rather than accept a General Educational Diploma (GED), Rob wanted an official diploma, and so at he attended classes as a 33 year old where he excelled, received his high school diploma, and was recognized in the local newspaper for his diligence as the school’s oldest student.

Rob’s second career made use of his natural ability with information technology. He didn’t merely understand IT . . . he intimidated computers. He taught himself to program for the web and worked for Universal Data in Clarkston, Michigan for 6 years. He and Bev, his wife, ran their own IT business, Synergen Technology Services in Saginaw, Michigan for 7 years. They both became members of the Saginaw Chamber of Commerce. Synergen provided IT services to small and medium businesses in Saginaw, Frankenmuth and Bay City, Michigan. He went on to subcontract for SnapLounge and then to another business run by a SnapLounge colleague called CloudSparks, also located in Michigan. From there Rob was hired by Ascendant Technology where he quickly made a name for himself.

Rob’s mind was logical and creative. He loved woodworking and building model cars. He and Bev, his wife, made soap and candle gift baskets for close family one Christmas. In 2006, Rob bought his first Mustang (a 2002 Model) and taking care it was his pride and joy, but the beautiful fire thorn red Mustang met a watery end during one of Houston’s torrential rains when–accidentally—Bev drove it into a flooded street. Rob soon acquired another Mustang, this time a 2010 black GT Premier, and he was proud of that car too. Robert had a very wry sense of humor and he loved watching TV sitcoms and standup comedy. He loved to laugh and also had a great intellect.

Penny DeHaan, Rob’s mother, recalls his spirit, intelligence and resourcefulness with a story from his boyhood when he and his sisters picked fruit at a local farm. Rob did not enjoying the type of work so, motivated by the same entrepreneurial spirit he retained throughout his life, he persuaded his mother to loan him some containers and he soon began out earning his sisters by selling Kool-Aid at the farm.

Rob married Beverly (Bev) Fadrique April 6, 2001 in Saginaw, Michigan. They lived in Saginaw, Michigan until October 2008 when they moved to Houston, Texas to be near Beverly’s 91 year old father, Lloyd Fadrique, a retired real estate developer. Rob and Bev were in love together for 13 wonderful years and will always be in love.

Rob is preceded in death by his father Ramon Burton DeHaan, his maternal grandmother and grandfather Lela and Wilson Christenbery, his Uncle Bill Christenbery and his mother-in-law, Beverly St. Germain Fadrique.

He is survived by his wife, Beverly Fadrique DeHaan of Houston, Texas; his mother, Penny DeHaan of Murray, Kentucky and sisters Rae Ann Johnson of Austin, Texas and Judy Russ of Grand Rapids, Michigan; and also his uncle Thomas Christenbery of Nashville, Tennessee and his aunt Carol Christenbery of Murray, Kentucky.

Robert has three children whom he adored. His oldest son, Jeffry DeHaan, 29, is married to Robin DeHaan and resides in Saginaw, Michigan. They have four children: Destiny, Jeffery, Allison and Luke. Next in line is Robert DeHaan III, who is engaged, and is raising his young son, Malachi, with his fiancée in Wyoming. And his youngest child is his daughter, Courtney Harness, age 15, residing in Chesterfield, Michigan with her mother.

Robert also had 5 stepchildren: Steven and Ian Stroup of Arkansas, Kendall Stroup of Vancouver, Washington, and Skyler and Christopher Carney of Saginaw, Michigan.

There are eleven grandchildren at last count.

ROBERT FRANCIS DEHAAN II (April 2, 1965 – November 5, 2012):

Creative and Resourceful

Intelligent and Hardworking

Loved by Many

In lieu of flowers, the family is asks that generous donations to help save lives be given to The American Lung Association, National Headquarters, 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20004. http://www.lung.org/donate/ways-to-give/