Jean (Koehler) Joerger

Jean Alice (Koehler) Joerger, 90, of Mendota passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on Nov. 17, 2019, following a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.

A Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in Holy Cross Church with the Rev. Peter Pilon officiating. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, Mendota. Visitation will be 4-6 p.m. Wednesday in Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota with a 3:15 p.m. rosary.

Jean was born Sept. 8, 1929, at Angear Hospital, Sublette to Adam and Helen (Hicks) Koehler. She married Frank Joerger on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, 1953, in Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Sublette, officiated by Father Lehman. He preceded her in death on July 1, 2017.

Jean graduated from Amboy High School in 1947 and worked as a bank teller at Amboy National Bank before marrying Frank in 1953. Once married, she was happy to be a farm wife, homemaker and mother to her nine children. Jean was an avid animal lover, and enjoyed baking sweets for her family, especially her grandkids and great-grandkids. She was a lifelong Cubs fan, and shared her love of the Cubs with her children. She was also a member of Holy Cross Church in Mendota.

Survivors include nine children, Mark Joerger of Mendota, William (Pam) Joerger of Romeoville, Jan (Bruce) Full of Mendota, Linda (Michael) Minnick of Mendota, Diana (Steve) Tuftie of Ottawa, Jack (Sharon) Joerger of Peru, Julie (Scott) Zinke of Mendota, Teresa (Tom) Leffelman of Mendota and Brad (Cheree) Joerger of Palatine; 23 grandchildren, Autumn and Kyler Joerger, Ciara (Dalton) Little, Stephenie, Matt (Cortney), Janette and Andrew Joerger, Abbey Chaon, Alison Wasmer, Adam Minnick, and Laura McNally, Susan Tuftie, Joseph and Katie Joerger, Brock (Liz), Logan (Guadalupe), Cody and Garet Zinke, Spencer (Gina) and Tara Leffelman, and Javen, Nora, and Leo Joerger; eight great-grandchildren, Grace, Cam, Luke, Greyson, Reyna, Elle, Teague and Jaxon; one brother, Jack (Carol) Koehler, one sister, Janet (Wayne) Ackerman; two brothers-in-law, Raymond (Kathy) Joerger, Bill (Gloria) Joerger; and two sisters-in-law, Sr. Dominic and Sr. Concepta.

She was preceded in death by her husband, one brother, Merle “Bud” (Mable) Koehler, two sisters, Arlene (Dayton) Lewis and Betty (Ben) Samek, two daughters-in-law, Vicki Joerger and Shelly Joerger and two grandchildren, Sarah Joerger and Sean Minnick.

Memorials may be directed to Illinois Valley Animal Rescue, Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, or Holy Cross Church.