Gerald Gene (Jerry) Willner
1935-2024
Gerald Gene (Jerry) Willner, age 88 1/2, of Medford, slipped away quietly on Wednesday, May 1, 2024 at the Marshfield Medical Center with his wife Dorothy at his side. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, May 25, 2024 at Immanuel Lutheran Church with Rev. Daniel Iwinski officiating. Military honors conducted by the Medford Area Military Honors Team will follow the service at the church. Burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery II in Medford.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until the time of service at 11 a.m. at the church.
Jerry was born Oct. 15, 1935 on the Willner homestead near Whittlesey to Albert W. (Bert) Willner and Marie T. (Gebauer) Willner. He attended Whittlesey Grade School aka Whittlesey University and was a 1954 graduate of Medford High School.
Jerry served in the US Army from May 1958 to May 1960. He trained in Colorado Springs, Colo., and had truck driving training at Fort Eustis, Va. before being deployed to Germany for 18 months. He was stationed in Wurzburg/Bamberg, Germany as part of the 100th Transportation Company 49th Battalion as a truck driver. He loved telling of his time in Germany.
On Feb. 26, 1977, he married his soulmate and life companion, Dorothy Marie Franz at St. John’s Lutheran in Rib Lake. They frequently traveled to visit family in Illinois, Minnesota, Washington State and Wisconsin. More than anything he liked being home.
For most of his adult working life he was employed by James Peterson Sons, Inc. where he spent 38 seasons driving gravel truck in a multitude of locations in Wisconsin and occasionally in the UP and Minnesota. He retired from driving truck in Oct. 1996. He could tell some good stories about places he worked.
Jerry bowled for many years on many different teams at both the Rib Lake and Medford bowling alleys. He enjoyed the camaraderie of the team members. He played baseball in his younger years. Come November deer hunting was on his agenda, it was said he was a good shot and had a good collection of guns.
He enjoyed mowing lawn and took great joy in keeping a neat and tidy yard. Even when he was no longer physically able to mow lawn, he took great pleasure in watching Mark mow the lawn. Many hours were spent working in his garage aka shop. He had a wellequipped shop including an overflowing tool chest since new tools and gadgets always interested him. He took immaculate care of his vehicles, lawn mower and snow blower. He was always on Dorothy’s case for taking her car on unpaved roads and getting it dirty.
His family was most important to Jerry. He dearly loved his grandchildren and great-granddaughters and was so proud and pleased with all of their accomplishments. Each one was very special to him.
Jerry is survived by his wife of 47 years, Dorothy; daughter, Lisa (Brian) Noland; son, Mark (Lori) Willner; grandchildren, Amber (Matt) Neumueller, Timothy (Shannon Hemmer) Noland, Heidi (Eric) Stark, Alyssa Willner and Hailey (Alec Shear) Willner; greatgranddaughters, Livia and Harper Neumueller and Kylie Noland; sisters, Norita M. Kath and her children Rachel (Paul) Dvorak, Jonathan Kath and Kristina Kath; and Diann J. Davies and her children Greg (Cheryl) Davies, Todd (Dawn) Davies and Tracy Foss; and sister-in-law, Ruth Franz.
Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, Bert and Marie Willner; infant brother, Duane Willner; brothers-in-law, Rev. Harvey G. Kath, Richard E. Davies, Reuben R. Franz, Marlen E. (Charlotte) Franz, Elmer H. Franz and George R. Franz.
Memorials are appreciated and may go to Immanuel Lutheran church in Jerry’s honor.
Hemer-Pickerign Funeral & Cremation Services of Medford is serving the family.
Please visit www.hemerfuneralservice.com to share condolences online.
Paid Obituary 152354
