Gerald "Jerry" Heiting

Gerald “Jerry” William Heiting, 88, of Cherry Valley, passed away on December 17, 2023. He was born on May 21, 1935, in Chicago, the son of Laurence and Helen (Renstrom) Heiting. Jerry graduated from Pontifical College Josephinum, class of 1958. He served in the US Army for 2 years in Korea and assisted the Army Chaplains. He married Sharen Henneberry on August 8, 1964, in Naperville, IL at St. Peter and Paul Church. Jerry worked for Delta Airlines as a Supervisor where he met his wife Sharen, United Airlines in Public Relations and Personnel, and then 25 years at the Post Office as a postal carrier. He’s a member of St. Rita Catholic Church and was an avid fan of the Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago White Sox. Jerry had a large collection of model trains, airplanes, and books, and enjoyed reading, chasing trains, and history. He was very educated and could rattle off any type of fact of trains, sports, and history. He cherished the time spent at Hobby Shops with his daughter, Annette. The greatest memory of Jerry is when he offered a comment and correction to ESPN on a statistic about baseball, where they gave him a shoutout on live tv. Jerry was a sentimental, intelligent, loving, and witty husband, father, and grandfather.

Jerry is survived by his wife of 59 years, Sharen; children, Johnny (Laura) Heiting and Annette (Gary) Boniface; grandchildren, Michael and Nicholas Heiting and Garrison Boniface; brother, Tom (Shirley) Heiting; and Sister, Pat (Bill) White. He is predeceased by his parents, Larry and Helen and infant sons, Timothy Michael and Daniel Joseph.

The family would like to give a special thank you to the CCU at Swedish American Hospital and Pulmonary Doctor Jared Johnstun.

A Funeral Mass will be on Thursday, December 28, 2023, at 11:00 a.m., at St. Rita Catholic Church, 6254 Valley Knoll Drive, Rockford, IL 61109, with a visitation prior to Mass starting at 10:00 a.m.  Private burial of cremated remains at Highland Gardens of Memories, Belvidere. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family or Misericordia Home, 6300 N. Ridge Avenue Chicago, IL 60660.