Funeral services for Douglas J. Vessely, 59, of North Judson, are Tuesday, April 19 at 11 a.m. at Sorrowful Mother Catholic Church in Wheatfield, with visitation Monday, April 18 from 3 until 9 p.m. at Braman & Bailey Funeral Home in North Judson. Members of the North Judson Police Department will serve as pallbearers.
He was born on Friday, Nov. 16, 1956 in LaPorte to Woodrow and Marie (Baker) Vessely and died suddenly on Friday, April 15, 2016 in Mishawaka.
Doug was a chairman of the Starke County Democrat Party and a the secretary and treasurer of Kankakee Valley FOP post 129. He was also a member of the Starke County CPT Sorrowful Mother Catholic Church in Wheatfield.
He previously served on the Starke County Council, North Judson Fire Department and was the Wayne Township Trustee. He also owned Doug’s Restaurant in North Judson and the Avenue Bar in LaPorte. Doug enjoyed fishing and being a member of the FOP. He loved being North Judson Town Marshal and loved police work. His greatest passions in life were spending time with his wife, Cindy, and his “little daughter” Brittney, his dog.
Doug married Cindy Rudd on Aug. 19, 2000 in North Judson. She survives, along with his son, Jansen (Sandy) Rudd of North Judson, and daughters Caleen (Charles) Troup of North Judson and Tweety (Tony)Bailey of North Judson; brothers David (Laura) Vessely of North Judson and Dan (Mona) Vessely of Ankeny, Iowa; eight grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and Brittney, his dog.
He was preceded in death by by parents, Woodrow and Marie Vessel,y and sister and brother-in-law Diane and Tom McCallum.
Editor’s note: Sorrowful Mother Catholic Church IS in Wheatfield and not in Wanatah, as was stated in an earlier version of this story. WKVI News regrets any confusion this error may have caused.
