An Extraordinary Life: It will be hard to ‘fill the shoes’ of this Timbers of Shorewood volunteer

Joni Hilger’s life was cut short when she was hit by a car June 4, 2020, in front of her house.

But the Timbers of Shorewood, a senior independent living and assisted living rental retirement community, is ensuring Joni’s attitude of putting others first and her devotion to volunteering will live on.

“Joni was slated to be the Volunteer of the Year in April of 2020. But when the [COVID-19] pandemic hit, we had to cancel the annual volunteer appreciation event,” Kevin Young, executive director of the Timbers of Shorewood, said in a news release. “Joni was an outstanding volunteer for more than 10 years. Everyone knew her smile, and she brough great enthusiasm to many of our events.”

Joni finally received her due May 8, when The Timbers of Shorewood presented the award to Joni’s husband, Tom Hilger of Shorewood; son, Steve Hilger of Shorewood; and daugher, Trisha Comiskey, formerly of Lockport and most recently of Plainfield.

Staff from The Timbers of Shorewood and about 15 family members attended the ceremony, according to the release.

The award now will be known as the as the “Joni Hilger Volunteer of the Year Award.” The Timbers of Shorewood will plant a tree in her honor on its 10-acre property as part of its Tree of Life remembrance program, the release said.

Joni’s family is planning to donate a bench that will be placed in front of Joni’s tree, according to the release.

Amy Odell, activities director at The Timbers of Shorewood, said Joni started volunteering soon after The Timbers opened, most likely about 2003.

“She loved to call us ‘girlfriend,’ ” Amy said. “She’d say, ‘I know, girlfriend.’ ”

Joni called Bingo on Saturday nights, as well as either Monday or Tuesday nights. She helped at the monthly birthday parties for the residents by serving cake and “getting the residents dancing,” Amy said. She attended every one of the community’s “senior proms.”

She helped out at The Timbers’ annual spook house and blew up lots of balloons for the kids who attended. Joni volunteered at the annual Easter event and worked the balloon pit.

And because Joni lived near The Timbers, she often would pop in just to say, “hi,” even when she wasn’t volunteering, Amy said. She helped out the other volunteers, too, by taking their places when they could not make their regular shifts, Amy said.

“She was truly a part of just about everything we did,” Amy said. “She was very outgoing, very energetic.”

Joni had a good rapport with the residents, sharing only enough information about herself to get the residents talking, Amy said.

“They felt comfortable around her and opened up to her,” Amy said. “So many people livened up when she came into the room. Her energy totally changed the mood of the room.”

Although The Timbers has many wonderful volunteers, Amy said it will be hard to “fill the shoes” of someone like Joni.

“She set the bar high,” Amy said.

Joni was born July 13, 1953, in Evergreen Park, the youngest of five children. She met her husband, Tom, at a bowling alley. The couple has six grandchildren, with her youngest grandchild being born after Joni’s death, Steve said.

Steve said Joni’s siblings looked out for her and Joni was the flower girl in her sister’s wedding when she was only 9.

When Steve and Trisha were growing up, Joni was available to them and supportive of their activities. She served as the team mom of their sports teams and helped out in whatever they participated in, Steve said. Joni also liked to babysit, he added.

“She was always around and easy to talk to,” Steve said.

Because Steve and his wife, Laura, are teachers, Joni and Tom moved to Shorewood to help care for the grandkids, Steve said. Joni absolutely loved being a grandmother, he added.

“If you talked to her for five minutes, she would tell you about the grandkids,” Steve said. “They were her everything.”

Steve said Joni played games with the kids inside and out. She did puzzles with them and colored with them.

“She’d even bring my daughter – the oldest , she’s 9 now – to The Timbers to help call Bingo,” Steve said.

Steve said the residents loved seeing Joni’s grandchildren and loved to treat them with pieces of candy. Joni’s purse was full of photos of her grandchildren and she loved to show them off, he added.

Joni was not much into technology and only had a basic cellphone, Steve said. So her purse was full of actual photos.

“She never used a computer or took pictures with her phone,” Steve said.

Joni also volunteered at the the Shorewood-Troy Public Library, according to her GoFundMe page.

But Joni had one other love. She loved to walk. And Joni walked a lot.

“She’s walked ever since junior high,” Steve said. “She’d walk for an hour or two.”

Steve said that if people offered to give her a ride, Joni would refuse. She’d rather walk and she liked the exercise, he said. Steve said Joni used to babysit at a gym while the kids’ parents were working out or taking classes. It spurred her love of fitness, he said.

According to The Timbers release, Joni died instantly after being hit by a car in front of her house, and her GoFundMe page said Joni was out walking when she was struck.

But Steve hopes people remember the life Joni lived and not how she died.

“She just loved helping people,” Steve said. “We never came from a ton of money, but she wanted to donate her time for free, just for the joy of meeting people and helping people and bringing smiles to people’s faces.”

• To feature someone in “An Extraordinary Life,” contact Denise M. Baran-Unland at 815-280-4122 or dunland@shawmedia.com.