Jerome A. Houtekier

Jerome A. Houtekier, 68, of Moline, Illinois, died Thursday, September 2, 2021, at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, Iowa City.

A memorial mass will be held at Sacred Heart Parish Moline, IL on April 23rd at 9:30 a.m. A hospitality gathering with food and drink to celebrate Jerome’s life will be 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. April 23rd at CityView Celebrations at Trimble Pointe, 701 12th Street, Moline, with military honors performed by the Vietnam Veterans of America Quad Cities Chapter #299 at 11:00 a.m. Cremation took place at Trimble Crematory, Moline, IL, under the direction of the Cremation Society of the Quad Cities.

Memorials may be made to American Heart Assoc., ILLOWA NAVHDA Youth Hunt, BSA Troop 109, or Rescued (https://www.shoprescued.com/).

Please consider becoming an organ donor.

Jerome Arthur Houtekier was born April 6, 1953, in Wayne County, Michigan, the son of Louis and Helen (Redding) Houtekier. He married Veronica P. Sierra on May 19, 1972, in San Diego, California.

A Vietnam Vet, Jerry served from September 9, 1971 to November 11, 1976 as a Navy Electrician’s Mate. He was an active Naval Reservist in the Seabees for over twenty years. He enjoyed his time with fellow reservists and the projects they constructed for the community. Jerry was a maintenance worker for the Illinois Department of Transportation from March 1985 to June 2008.

He was an outdoorsman, an Eagle Scout, a dog lover, a heart transplant survivor, a disciplinarian, a jokester, and a great hugger. He was known to bring home critters big and small, dead or alive. We never left him without a hug, a kiss, and a personalized farewell.

Jerry’s kids kept him very busy, mostly as a chauffeur, for many years. Later he would take up the same job for his many grandchildren, a job he thoroughly enjoyed!

Jerome is survived by his beloved wife, Veronica; seven children, Jeremiah (Shellie) Houtekier of Moline, Octavia (Christopher) Boyd of Davenport, Gabriella (Benjamin) Schnerre of Orion, Benjamin (Jenn) Houtekier of Rock Island, Jacqueline (Nathan) Lundeen of Rock Island, Guinevere (Joseph) Skovronski of Colona, and Vivian Houtekier of Davenport; twenty-one grandchildren, Connor and Zachary Houtekier, Thalia Boyd, Angelica, James, Noah, Bianca, Gabriel and Cecelia Schnerre, William (Liam), Elliott, Rosalie and Julian Houtekier, Nickolas Roessler, Alaina and Calleigh Lundeen, Owen and Emma Skovronski, and Jacob and Jayden Houtekier; two great-grandchildren, Mallory and Ansley; and Sledge, his four-legged buddy. He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents and his four-legged hunting partner, Eike.

Our family would like to extend our everlasting gratitude to the University of Iowa Heart Transplant Team for giving us over a decade of extra years with Jerry. Thank you, Carolyn, for all your hard work.

Our dad always, always told us to celebrate his life, not mourn his death. We will be opening a few bottles of his homemade mead, which he never touched because it wasn't to be opened until he passed. He felt the name "Dead Man's Mead" would be both appropriate and funny to those who knew him.

Condolences may be shared at CremationQC.com.