Jerrold “Jerry” Feret

Jerry Feret, 73, passed away peacefully February 21, 2024, at Froedtert Hospital, Milwaukee WI. With his loving wife Maureen and son Tim at his bedside.

Jerry was born in Chicago, Illinois on February 5, 1951, to Walter and Virginia Feret.  He has two siblings, Jim & Janine. Jerry attended St Wenceslaus Catholic Grade School and Providence St Mel High School, both located in Chicago. While he was in high school, he met his soulmate Maureen at Skips Drive-In located in Elmwood Park. They hit it off from the very beginning and were married at St Colette’s Church in Harwood Heights on November 6, 1971.  After high school he worked at Chicago O’Hare Airport as a baggage handler and then began his career in construction.  They began their married life in Rolling Meadows, Illinois and soon after, Maureen’s mother died and they became guardians of Maureen’s siblings ages 16 yrs, 11yrs and 3 years old. Jerry expanded the existing 3-bedroom ranch to have room for everyone because Grandma and 2 dogs were part of the package.  In 1983 when the kids were grown, Jerry got the bug to look for a smaller home and amazingly found a little red ranch on Lake Michigan in Pleasant Prairie.  Our house on the lake allowed Jerry to not only spend memorable times fishing offshore with his son but also prompted him to become a licensed and accomplished marine captain navigating Daybreak Charters.

Jerry was a proud union carpenter for 35 years. He was a foreman and a superintendent with the few shops where he worked.  He was hard working, talented and worked constantly throughout Chicago and as far away as Joliet.   He was a sought-after acoustical specialist. Jerry was more than a foreman or superintendent.  He was a mentor who helped, protected, and spoke on behalf of others who needed a chance.  Having done so, those men were hesitant to let him down.  That’s the level of respect he gave and that’s the respect he got in return.  He was many things to those who needed him, and he lovingly considered his apprentices and crew his “kids.” 

Jerry was an avid woodworker and enjoyed the challenge of each new project he created. He searched far and wide for wooden soda or beer crates to fashion into wine racks. He enjoyed setting up his completed items in art fairs and always had people commenting on his ingenuity. He also made tables, benches and crafted a curio cabinet for Maureen’s Hummel collection. He also built display stands to highlight awards for the home office of Cochlear Americas in Denver, Colorado. When he wasn’t working on a project, he always made sure his bird feeders were full and would sit at the kitchen table and identify the birds that would stop by.  His favorite was the American Goldfinch.

The organization that Jerry was passionate about was the Cochlear Implant Volunteer Support Group in Milwaukee.  This was a support group he started with his wife for new Cochlear Implant recipients and their families. The group also served candidates seeking information or difficulty with settings or equipment.   The group often had questions and because Jerry was a bilateral Cochlear recipient, he was happy to trouble shoot any problems and provide many tips/tricks to those in need.   No matter where he was, he loved when someone asked if he was wearing hearing aids and immediately explained the difference between a Cochlear Implant and a hearing aid.   Jerry was the 1st volunteer to win the Cochlear Community Hear-O award in 2017 for his ongoing dedication to helping others on their journey. He always liked to give credit to a recipient in our support group that described ” a Cochlear Implant is a rainbow with more colors.”

Jerry is survived by his loving wife Maureen, his son Tim (Amy) and his beloved granddaughter Cacey Lake. Brother Jim (Carol) Feret, sister Janine (Emmet) Weidman.  Sisters-In-law Jayne (William) Straumann, Carol (Dale) Parker, brother-In-law William Stephens III. Jerry was deeply loved by his nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, and cousins as well as many friends and neighbors.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Virginia, numerous aunts, and uncles but most recently his dear niece Katherine (Matthew) Cramer.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the St Mark’s Outreach Program.

A memorial mass will be celebrated on Saturday March 9^th, 2024, at 11:00AM at St. Marks catholic Church in Kenosha. (7117-14^th Avenue) Visitation with the family will be on Saturday at the church from 9:30AM until the time of mass.

Interment will be private.

Casey Family Options Funerals & Cremations

www.caseyfamilyoptions.com

3016 75^th, Street

Kenosha, WI 53142

262-653-0667