Jerry Allen Johnson, 87

Jerry Allen Johnson, 87, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on June 9, 2024.  Jerry was born on April 11, 1937, in Eau Claire, WI to parents Clarence and Georgine (Bergerson). Jerry grew up in Fairchild Wisconsin and graduated high school in 1955.  He served in Germany in the United States Army from 1956 to 1959, where he received an honorable discharge. After returning home, he attended college at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire.  During that time, he married his high school sweetheart Mary (Holman) on July 1, 1961, and started a family.  Jerry graduated with a B.A. in 1964 and secured a career in cost accounting with Kraft Foods, and then worked at Motorola for a total of 39 years, during which time he and his family lived in Wausau, Madison, and Antigo WI, Kendallville IN, and then Schaumburg and Woodstock, Illinois. 

Jerry had a great love of the outdoors and was not afraid to get his hands dirty. His pastimes with friends and family included fishing, hunting and camping trips, bird watching, and working outside on his 5 acres of land in Woodstock. He would often be seen riding one of his tractors around his land on some kind of mission. He was also very fond of early model Ford Mustangs and owned several over his lifetime, one of which he and his son spent time fixing up together.  A lifelong Green Bay Packers fan, he would retell his fond memory of having attended the 1967 NFL championship game at Lambeau Field, dubbed the “Ice Bowl.”

Jerry possessed a gift to be able to strike up a conversation with perfect strangers, and made fast friends with people wherever he went, helped by his good-natured disposition, wit, and sense of humor.  He was also devoted in his Lutheran faith and became actively involved in every church for which he was a member, and at one point served as president of the council at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Schaumburg.  During church service, he was widely known for stirring up trouble with the young kids. 

His personality was only outmatched by his selflessness.  Jerry set an example of a life spent in dedication of service to others, with too many examples to list. But above all things, Jerry was a faithful and devoted husband and family man who supported his wife, children, and grandchildren in every way he could.  For him, family gatherings and vacations with good conversation, a great hand of cards, and roaring laughter were most precious to him. 

Jerry is preceded in death by both his parents; his bothers John and Jim, and bother-in-law John Holman.  He is survived by his sisters Jean (Ron) Holman and Joan Will; sister-in-law Darlene, sister-in-law Natalie; his beautiful wife of over sixty-two years; his children Julie Bozza-Wills (Dan Wills), Jeff (Sheryl), Jill Gillming (Gregg); grandchildren Casey Bozza (Autumn), Chloe Bozza, Shelby Johnson, Jacob Johnson, Abby Gillming, and Conner Gillming; and six great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be on June 17th at Saunders Funeral Home in Woodstock Illinois from 3pm to 7pm.  Memorial Service will be conducted on June 18th at Grace Lutheran Church in Woodstock, with visitation at 10 and a service starting at 11.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Grace Lutheran Church or the Woodstock Food Pantry where Jerry so faithfully served in various capacities.

Family and friends may sign the online guestbook at www.saundersfhc.com                                                                                                                                Call Saunders Funeral Home & Crematory for more info at 815-420-3030.