James (J.D.) Garoutte

James Dee (J.D.) Garoutte peacefully passed away surrounded by family on Friday,  July 12, 2024 at Froedtert South Hospital in Pleasant Prairie, WI. He was 76 years old.

J.D. was born on February 15, 1948, in Altadena, CA to his parents Lewis and June (Hall) Garoutte. Due to his parents’ blindness, J.D. was raised by his grandparents Ben and Jane Thigpen of Dallas, TX.

J.D. graduated from South Oak Cliff High School in Dallas, TX in 1966 and joined the Navy in January of 1968. He met his wife Kathy (Trotta), of Kenosha, WI at the Enlisted Men’s Club at Great Lakes Naval Base in North Chicago, IL. They were married on September 20th, 1969, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Kenosha, WI.

J.D. completed Naval Hospital Corps School at Great Lakes Naval Station and went on to serve two tours of duty in Vietnam where he received the Bronze Star Medal as a Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class for his service.

J.D. graduated from the University of Wisconsin Parkside with a Bachelor of Communication and earned a master’s degree in Speech from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL.

J.D. retired from the Peer Bearing Company in Waukegan, IL in 2011. He also served as the first Economic Developer for Kenosha and was a member of the Western Kiwanis Club of Kenosha for several years.

J.D. is survived by his wife of 55 years, Kathy; daughter Jeniffer (Robert) Dzbinski; son Brian (Beth) Garoutte and grandchildren, Jacob and Ryan Garoutte, Joey Dzbinski, Brittney (Dan) Gray, and Kylie Dzbinski.

He was proceeded in death by his parents Lewis and June Garoutte; grandparents, Ben and Jane Thigpen; sister, Bennie Jane Thigpen; brother, Glenn Garoutte; son-in-law, Michael Picazo; and in-laws Joseph and Mary Trotta.