Jacob Dirk Vermaas

Jake went to be with his Savior on March 20, 2012. He was born on August 29, 1940 in Patterson, New Jersey. As a young child his family moved from Patterson to Midland Park, where he lived until he graduated from high school. His family moved to Fort Lauderdale in 1958. In 1961 he married his loving wife of 50 years, Janice Wietsma. Together they raised one son and one daughter. Jake worked his way up from store clerk to store manager of the Food Fair grocery store in Oakland Park before leaving to work at family owned Dixie Clamp & Scaffold, Inc. He eventually became co-owner, and enjoyed many years at Dixie Clamp. He was a long-term member of New Hope Community Church, formerly Fort Lauderdale Christian Reformed Church. Jake is survived by his wife of 50 years, Jan Vermaas; his son, J. Scott Vermaas and his wife, Cindy; his daughter, Donna (Vermaas) Hekman and her husband, Brian; and his two grandsons, Matthew and Michael Hekman. He is also survived by brother John Vermaas and his wife Mary Lou of Rio Hondo, TX; sister Marie Green of Deltona, FL; sister Shirley Oulette and her husband Steve of Margate, FL; brother Dick Vermaas, Jr. and his wife, Gayle of Deltona, FL; and many nieces, nephews and extended family. A celebration of his life will be held in a service at New Hope Community Church on Saturday, March 31, at 2:00 p.m., located at 6400 NW 31st Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL (954-971-3050). Pastor Kirby Williams will be officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to be made to the New Hope Community Church Haiti Mission Orphans Fund -"Nadie's Place".