Service Details
In keeping with his wish, a private family service was held. Interment was held in the Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Please see the funeral home website for the complete obituary.
Memorial Suggestions
For those wishing memorials can be directed to the First Presbyterian Church, 716 College Ave. Racine, WI 53403.
Dr. Warren H. DeKraay, M.D. passed away on March 14, 2022, at the age of 91, in his home in Racine, Wisconsin with his wife, Nancy, by his side. He was born on May 10, 1930, in Sioux Center Iowa. He graduated from Sioux Center High school, attended the University of Minnesota followed by medical school at the University of Iowa, graduating in 1955. After serving two years in the U.S. Air Force in Newfoundland, Dr. DeKraay completed his general surgical residency in Iowa City Veterans Hospital and University of Iowa Hospitals. From 1962 to 1979 Dr. DeKraay practiced general surgery in Ottumwa, Iowa. From 1979 to 1981 he served a thoracic surgical residency at Charlotte Memorial Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina. From 1981 to 2007 Dr. DeKraay maintained a thoracic and vascular surgical practice in Racine and Kenosha Wisconsin. He was a Fellow in the American College of Surgeons and a member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Dr. DeKraay was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Racine. He was active for many years in the Downtown Racine Rotary Club. Dr. DeKraay was a true humanitarian. His passion was to provide medical care to individuals who did not have access to healthcare. From 1978 until 2008, Dr. DeKraay traveled to over 17 different countries to perform free surgery. Prior to his trips, he would contact medical device companies, pharmaceutical companies, and hospitals to collect supplies for the countries where he was working. His travels included, Guatemala, Nepal, New Guinea, Malawi, Ethiopia, Peru. the Congo and other countries. He would work in sparse, bleak conditions with little or no electricity, performing surgeries on individuals that were in desperate need of surgical care. In 2001, while traveling on the Amazon River, Dr. DeKraay encountered a young boy named Gorby, who was obviously suffering from a malfunctioning heart. With help from the International Rotary Foundation, Dr. DeKraay was able to have Gorby and his father travel to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota where successful heart surgery was performed. Gorby returned to his home on the Amazon as a healthy child. Throughout his travels, Dr. DeKraay developed deep friendships and relationships with doctors and medical providers throughout the world. The experiences he had during his travels provided the basis for his memoirs, Volunteer Surgeon, which he published in 2010. In 1955, Warren met his wife, Nancy, at the University of Iowa. The couple married in 1957 and celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary in October 2021. They have five children: Warren Jr., Elizabeth Dunlap (David), Sarah DeKraay (Charles Higley), Christina Zikeli (Dirk), and Carolyn Dickens (Brian); four grandchildren: Stephanie Delgado (Jorge), Matthew Dunlap (Halie), Helena Dickens and Chloe Dickens; and two great grandchildren: Charlotte Delgado and JD Delgado; plus, nieces and nephews.
Warren will be dearly missed by all.
Anonymous says
What a magnificent man Dr. DeKraay was and a true humanitarian.
We send our sincerest sympathy to Nancy and the entire family.
Mark and Hilary Krejcha
Tony and Ann Carbajal says
We are so sorry for your loss, you are all in our thoughts and prayers.
Naoki Nakamura says
Warren was a member of ROMEO (Retired Old Men Eating Out) and a lover of music. I enjoyed talking with him about his many adventures in his life. May he rest in peace.
Mary O'Neill and Peter Sansone says
I treasure the book Warren wrote on his experiences as a “Volunteer Surgeon”. He loved music; and his wife Nancy and I
often made music together. He enjoyed having the music being made in their home. My husband, Peter Sansone, loved his conversations with Warren
at the ROMEO (retired old men eating out). We both will miss
Warren, fun and music loving
human being who graced this earth and our lives.
John Bjelajac says
I had the honor of knowing Warren on a personal basis. A kinder person has yet to be on the
face of this Earth. Warren, I salute you. God speed, kind sir… God speed.
Michel Clark says
I will never forget the special personal training I had with Warren , he’s an amazing and brilliant man who worked very hard each and every training ! I enjoyed talking with him about his accomplishments and his life. I worked on his strength and he helped me with mine, I will miss him . God has another Angel .
Julie and Tim Taggart says
What a wonderful life of service he had. He will be missed by many, but the work he did will live on forever. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you.
John F Barrett RN (retired) says
It was a pleasure to work with Dr. DeKray when he came into the Emergency room. He was so kind and gracious to his patients and staff.
Gary & Gerry Lipor says
Nancy and family,
We are thinking of all of you from Fort Myers, Florida.
Please accept our sympathy and prayers.
Warren was such a wonderful, caring man. Always so thoughtful, polite and modest. He did so much for many.
May he RIP.
Paul Minneti says
And the Lord said to Warren, Job well done good and faithful servant.
Dan Storjohann says
I’m so sorry for your loss.