Morris Gerald (Jerry) Viernow, 82, of Preemption, Illinois, died and passed into glory on December 18, 2023, surrounded by loved ones. The family will be holding a celebration of life ceremony at 2:00 pm on Sunday, June 16, 2024, in the fellowship hall at Preemption United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be left in care of Wounded Warrior Project or Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, Milan is assisting the family.

Jerry was born May 21, 1941, in Rock Island, IL, to Morris E Viernow and Marguerite Priester Viernow. As a child, Jerry was part of a traveling tapdancing troupe. He, along with several other children entertained people with their dancing skills. Jerry was the official emcee. He was an entertainer at heart all his life.

Jerry graduated from Rock Island High School in 1959.

On June 16, 1963, Jerry married the love of his life, Janice Irene Christensen, at the Beulah Presbyterian Church, Orion, IL. From this union four children were born: M. Jon, Jane Anne, Jeffrey Wade and Matthew Evan. Jerry and Janice just celebrated 60 years of marriage this past spring.

Jerry was a skilled patternmaker. He served a five-year Patternmaker Apprenticeship. He then worked at his father's place of business: Moline Modern Pattern Works. He worked as a Patternmaker until he was 35 years old; and then went into the office to learn estimating, pricing, and management of the company. During this time, the company opened an Aluminum Foundry. The two companies closed in 1984, when the Quad Cities business climate declined. His total work years there were 23 years.

In Dec 1983, Jerry qualified for an Industrial Specialist position at TACOM-RI civilian on the Rock Island Arsenal Island working there until March 2011 after 27 years.

In total, Jerry worked for 52 years prior to retiring in 2011.

He was very proud of being a lifelong Republican.

He made many friends at the Arsenal who he enjoyed eating lunch with over the noon hour. In later years he routinely went to lunch with high school buddies and talked about families and fond memories. He loved McDonald's, especially the coffee and ice cream cones. His three surviving children gave him McDonald's gift cards for Christmas. Those cards lasted almost all year for him!

Jerry was a devoted family man who will be greatly missed by his wife, Janice; children, Jane (Shannon Hinrichs), Jeff (Rebecca Badtram) and Matthew (Melissa Bollaert); brothers and sister: Joe (Sharon Martin), Roger (Tami Lambert) and Janet (Steve Erickson); ten grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents: Morris and Marguerite; his son Jon; and his granddaughter, Maggie Hinrichs.

To leave a condolence for the family, please visit Jerry's tribute wall.

Tunnels to Towers Foundation
Web: https://dogood.t2t.org/give/320847/?_gl=1*a6etfd*_ga*NDc4NTAzMjcyLjE3MDMwMjQ2NzM.*_ga_KKJBEGGEYM*MTc

Wounded Warrior Project
7020 A.C. Skinner Parkway, Suite 100, Jacksonville FL 32256
Tel: 1-877-832-6997
Web: https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/Default.aspx?tsid=26155&_gl=1*thqfja*_ga*MTQ3NjI2MjI3MC4xN