Meise (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Frans Kerremans, former Meise mayor, died at 93. He became mayor in 1988 with 2,022 votes. His family has lived in Westrode since 1866. Funeral: June 21, 2025, at Westrode Church.
VRT News reported that Frans Kerremans, the former mayor of Meise, Belgium, died at the age of 93 on June 17, 2025. The funeral is on Saturday, June 21st, 2025, at 10:00 AM at the Westrode church. Following the service, his ashes will be buried in the Westrode cemetery, where the family of the Kerremans family had lived for more than 150 years.
According to officials, the funeral is anticipated to be a large affair attended by numerous people remembering a man who was a significant contributor, in many ways, to changing the face of Meise and Wolvertem.
What role did Frans Kerremans play in Meise’s history?
Kerremans started in his family’s bakery and later ran a business renting amusement games. He started his political career at the founding of the Volksunie in Wolvertem. In 1988 he became mayor with 2022 votes and served until 1994. Kerremans always called a spade a spade and was opposed to the merger of Wolvertem and Meise in 1977 because it would reduce local identity.
The family Kerremans has a deep history in the area. The son of Frans, Willy Kerremans, pleased about the family’s history, conducted research and wrote about it. The family’s origin in Meise goes back to at least 1590. He worked in the family’s bakery, he ran a business, he had a role in the local government.
Officials stated that Kerremans is known as a politician and a proud Wolvertem native who always backed their hometown. His family lived in the Wolvertem area for generations, having settled in Purs, Tisselt, and Londerzeel before moving to Westrode in 1866.
Westrode, a residential area in Wolvertem, became the centre of the Kerremans family’s life for many generations. Frans carried on this family tradition, serving in the local government and supporting the community’s culture and history. His family’s connection to Westrode spanned over 150 years.