Obit: St. Amand, Jerome ‘Spider’ L. (1929 - 2015)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: St. Amand, Mauer, Wagner, Jobe, Miller, Antrim, Scheppler, Seyferth, Vallner, Kehl, Schoenenberger, Kuehl, Larrabee

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 1/28/2015

St. Amand, Jerome ‘Spider’ L. (10 February 1929 - 13 January 2015) With Flag

Jerome ‘Spider’ L. St. Amand, 85, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015, just nine hours after his oldest daughter; Dawn Margaret Antrim (nee St. Amand) entered Heaven on the very same day. Jerome was born in Paris Township, Kenosha, Feb. 10, 1929, the son of the late Hector and Elizabeth (nee Mauer) St. Amand.

Jerome proudly served in the United States Army during the Korean War. He was united in marriage to Margaret J. Wagner June 25, 1955, at St. John Nepomuk Catholic Church. He was employed by the City of Racine Parks and Recreation Department and also at the Racine Zoo as a zookeeper for 23 years, retiring in 1990. Jerome was so proud that he hatched the first emu for the Racine Zoo and many other birds in his zookeeper years. In his younger years, Jerome was employed by the Wisconsin Electric Power Company. Jerome belonged to the City of Racine ‘20 year Club’ and the EAA. Jerome very much enjoyed his woodworking skills and made many birdhouses for his daughters and riding wheeled airplanes for his grandchildren. He also enjoyed fishing and most of all, spending time with his children. He will be dearly and greatly missed.

Survivors of Jerome include his loving wife, of nearly 60 years, Margaret of Racine; his children: Rhonda Jobe of Twin Lakes, Mary Jo (Jim) Miller of Green Bay, Jerilyn St. Amand of Neillsville, Amy St. Amand of Racine and his only boy and youngest child, Tim St. Amand of Racine; his son-in-law, Gene Antrim; his grandchildren, Eric (Dawn) Antrim, Janice (Adam) Scheppler, Kristen Jobe, Don Jobe, Kaitlin Miller and Sarah Miller, Alexis St. Amand and Heather St. Amand; four great-grandchildren; two sisters, Jackie (Carl) Seyferth and Evie (Edward) Vallner; brothers-in-law and Sisters-in-law, JoAnne St. Amand, Dick Kehl, Tom (Judy) Wagner, Pat (Bob) Schoenenberger and Roger Kuehl; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many, many dear friends.

In addition to Jerome’s parents and Jerome’s oldest daughter, Dawn, just hours earlier the same day, Jerome was preceded in death by his brother, Bob St. Amand; his sister, Betty Kehl; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, George (Dorothy) Wagner and Mary Kuehl.

Funeral services were held Satruday, Jan. 17, 2015, at 10:30 a.m. at the Meredith Funeral Home in Racine, with the Rev. Jim Larrabee officiating. Interment followed at holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, Hwy 32, in Racine.

Jerome’s daughter, Dawn, fought a very courageous three and a-half year battle with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and died just shy of the three year anniversary of her bone marrow transplant, in which her only brother, Timothy St. Amand, was the bone marrow donor.

Sadly, and in addition to her sister Dawn, and father Jerome ‘Spider’ St. Amand, Jerome’s daughter Jerilyn had her beloved Black Labrador ‘Flash’ also enter heaven at the age of 14 and a-half in the late evening on the same day as well. Flash was always very special to her father Jerome and one of his favorite dogs.