The Superior Express -

Hastings resident, Jerome L. "Jerry" Tillemans Jr., 60, died Monday, Feb. 14, at CHI Health-St. Francis, Grand Island, following an accident.

Rosary will be 10:30 a.m. and Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 18, at St. Michael's Catholic Church with Father Jeremy Hazuka officiating. Burial will be at Parkview Cemetery in Hastings. Visitation will be 9 to 10:30 a.m., prior to the rosary at the church. Memorials may be given to the family for burial expenses.

Private condolences may be sent to the family at http://www.lbvfh.com. Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home & Cremation Center is serving

the family.

Jerry was born Nov. 2, 1961, in Kearney, Neb., to Jerome Lyle Sr. and

Jollietta (Boesch) Tillemans. He graduated from St. Cecilia High School in Hastings in 1980. He briefly attended Hastings College to play football. The love of his life, Sharon Palmer graduated from Hastings High School in 1981. They married on Aug. 15, 1981, at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Hastings.

Jerry and Sharon moved to Lawrence, where they purchased and

operated Tilley's Food Mart. During this time, Jerry was a member of the Lawrence Volunteer Fire Department. This would start his long love of being a firefighter. Jerry and Sharon had their first son, Stephen James Tillemans on Sept. 30, 1984. Twenty-one months later they welcomed their only daughter, Kendra Joan Tillemans, on June 12, 1986.

Jerry and Sharon decided to sell the grocery store and moved back to Hastings. After moving back to Hastings, Jerry became a member of the Hastings Volunteer Fire Department while working full-time at Pepsi. Jerry and Sharon welcomed their second son, Drew Timothy Tillemans, on Nov. 11, 1991. Jerry applied to Hastings Fire Department and started his professional firefighting career in May of 1992. He obtained his paramedic license in 2003, from Kearney State. He moved on to Grand Island Fire Department in 2008. He retired from Grand Island Fire Department in 2010. While serving as a firefighter, he volunteered for the relief efforts after Katrina, volunteered in 911 biological weapon training, he was a Hazmat and EMT instructor as well.

He mentored several firefighters and paramedics. He was also a skilled woodworker and built homes and renovated several spaces and projects. Jerry was a proud husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. He often said, "If you are going to do something, do it well." He was the most dependable, reliable, loving human being this world has the luxury to have. His family and friends will miss him.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Clifford Tillemans; nephews, Corey Ostdiek and Justin Palmer; brother-in-law, Frank Ostdiek; sister, Debra (Hedlund) Hultquist; brother, Daniel Hedlund; and aunt and uncle, Sodona and Verdus Hedlund.

Survivors are his wife, Sharon (Palmer) Tillemans;children and their spouses: Stephen and Nicole (Bienhoff-Beck) Tillemans, Kendra (Tillemans) and Patrick Johnson, Drew and Catherine (Powers) Tillemans; grandchildren: Madison Beck, Parker Beck and Cash Johnson; sisters and spouses: Helen (Tillemans) Ostdiek, Pauline (Tillemans) Hahne, Linda (Tillemans) Frerichs, Lola (Tillemans) Coffey, Sharon (Tillemans) Sedano and Karen (Hedlund) Jones; brothers: Joseph Tillemans, William Tillemans, Johnny Tillemans and Alan Hedlund; countless nieces and nephews.