Gerald “Jerry” Edwin Hilk of Sharonville passed away Wednesday September 20, 2023, at the age of 90. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on June 29, 1933, to Vincent Kenneth and Dorothy Schubert Hilk. After losing his father in World War II, Jerry, along with his brother Clifford and his mother Dorothy moved around the greater Pittsburgh area. As a teen, Jerry worked as a vendor at Pittsburgh Pirates games, where he developed a passion for sports and a life-long fandom for his beloved Pirates and Steelers. After graduating from Farrell High School in 1952, Jerry went to work for Westinghouse Electric Corporation while studying at Youngstown College. Shortly after starting, Jerry was drafted into the United States Army and shipped away for basic training at Fort Gordon in Georgia. Jerry spent the majority of his enlistment at Fort Sill in Oklahoma and Fort Monmouth in New Jersey serving in the United States Signal Corps. In 1955, he received the National Defense Service Medal and was honorably discharged. He then returned to Westinghouse in Sharon where Jerry met his future wife Julie, who matched his curiosity and passion. They were married in 1959. In 1963, four years and four children later, Jerry earned his degree in Mechanical Engineering from Youngstown University. When Jerry received the opportunity to work in the Jet Engine department at General Electric, Jerry and Julie decided to move their growing family to Cincinnati. A mechanically oriented problem-solver, Jerry found the perfect career path at GE, working on the cutting edge of jet engineering as America entered the Jet age. Jerry and Julie welcomed their final child while in Cincinnati and settled in Sharonville in 1966. While working at GE, Jerry earned his Professional Engineering License and in 1993, after 30 years, Jerry retired from General Electric.
Jerry and Julie used their retirement to travel and explore. They sailed, biked and scuba dove all over the world from Turkey to the Caribbean to Australia and New Zealand. They traveled in their RV throughout the US and Canada, seeing all 50 states and 13 provinces. Through their RV travels Jerry and Julie found they enjoyed Arizona so much that they began spending their winters in Mesa, where Jerry enjoyed challenging bike rides in the desert and honed his woodworking skills.
Jerry lived a remarkable life; serving his country in the Army, raising a loving family and seeing the world. He abided by his guiding principles and unapologetically pursued his passions. With only one brother and having lost his father early in life, Jerry wanted a large family and found the perfect woman to raise five children with. As his children grew and began families of their own, there was nothing Jerry enjoyed more than hosting his growing family for reunions, holidays and celebrations. His passion, energy and the love he brought to all those around him will be sorely missed.
Jerry is preceded in death by his brother Clifford Hilk and his son-in-law Kerry Koepfer. He is survived by his wife Julianne, his children, Kenneth (Cheryl), Laura Koepfer, Timothy (Jeannette), Scott (Susan) and Jeffrey (Margarita), his grandchildren Stephen (Megan), Gabrielle (Scott), Samantha (Alex), Christopher, James (Krista) , Jeffrey (Nichole), Kelly, Jessica, Silvana, Sophia, Charlotte and Hanna, and his great-grandchildren Beckett, Nora and Mackenzie (Miller), Peyton (Hart), and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial gathering of family and friends will take place Friday, December 1st, 2023, from 12:00p.m., until the time of funeral service at 1:30p.m., both at Mihovk-Rosenacker Funeral Home, 10211 Plainfield Rd., Cincinnati Ohio, 45241. Burial to follow service at Rest Haven Memorial Park.
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