Obituary information from Quiram-Sycamore Funeral Home
1245 Somonauk St., Sycamore, IL 60178 815 895-6589
Sgt. Brett Robert Bouma, 36, of Waterman, Illinois, died Sunday, April 27, 2008, at Kishwaukee Community Hospital in DeKalb due to a pulmonary embolism following a recent surgery. Born June 23, 1971, in Phoenix, Arizona, he was the son of Hank Bouma and Melody (Jumper) Aspinwall. He married Melissa K. Ryen on June 24, 1995, at the Waterman Presbyterian Church. He was a graduate of Waterman High School Class of 1989. Brett loved his family, his job, coaching his children and was an avid Cubs fan.
He is survived by his wife Melissa Ryen-Bouma; three children, Jacklyn, age 10, Jaeden, age 7, and Jocelynn, age 5; his mother, Melody (John) Aspinwall of Waterman; his father, Hank (Cindi) Bouma of Moorepark, California; two brothers, Aaron (Jennifer) Aspinwall of Cincinnati, Ohio, Joel (Jill) Aspinwall of Rochelle; his second family, mother-in-law and father-in-law, Jack and Marilyn Ryen of Waterman; his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Victor and Marla Barresi, Steve and Maureen Bremner, Ben and Michele Anderson; and beloved nieces and nephews, Clayton and Lauren Anderson, Rachel and Alex Bremner, Kate and Anna Barresi and Aja Aspinwall. He was preceded in death by his grandparents.
The funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, May 2nd at Christ Community Church in DeKalb, 1600 East Lincoln Highway, with Pastor Larry Breeden officiating. Visitation will be from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday at the church. Interment will be in North Clinton Township Cemetery near Waterman.
Sergeant Bouma joined the Sheriff’s Office and was assigned to the Corrections Division on December 1, 1993, eventually transferring to the Patrol Division on March 1, 1998 where he graduated from Police Training Institute in June of 1998. He was promoted to the rank of Patrol Sergeant January 7, 2007. In addition to his responsibilities as Deputy Sheriff and then as Sergeant, Brett was a Field Training Officer and was instrumental in the development of the Field Training Manual for the Sheriff’s Office. He served and trained for duties with the Regional Special Response Team, a branch of the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System and Terrorism Task Force for over three years. He was currently assigned as Sergeant of Kishwaukee College Campus Security.
Sergeant Bouma completed many hours of law enforcement training including Law Enforcement Supervision, Rapid Deployment Instructor Training, and Weapons of Mass Destruction Response. In addition he earned an Associate of Science Degree from Kishwaukee College in 1997. During his career Sergeant Bouma received numerous awards and recognition including three Letters of Commendation, four Special Apprehension and Felony Arrest Awards, and Administrative Award of Merit, and a Department Commendation Award for his valiant attempt to save lives at a car fire in March of 2000.
We say goodbye with hope because we know our goodbye is not the end. We believe, with hope, there’s a place by God’s grace, where we’ll see his face again.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund is established for the Bouma Children Education Fund in care of Quiram-Sycamore Funeral Home, 1245 Somonauk St., Sycamore, IL 60178. For information or to leave a message of condolence call 815 895-6589 or visit www.quiram.com.
Messages of condolence may be sent to: director@quiram.com