Henry C. Joern

HUNTLEY – Henry C. Joern, 82, of Huntley, passed away Wednesday, June 6, 2012, after an 18-year battle with prostate cancer.
Born Oct. 30, 1929, in Chicago, he was the son of Henry A. and Vera (nee Manning) Joern.
Henry grew up in the Park Ridge area and graduated from Maine East High School in 1947. He attended the University of Florida, where he played football and received an associate of arts degree in 1952. He then joined the Army, where he was a champion boxer, and then joined the Army Reserves, from which he received his honorable discharge in 1961.
He married his wife, Rita (nee Von Kline), on Feb. 11, 1956. They enjoyed more than 50 years of marriage. He was a union carpenter and worked for his father until he started his concrete contracting business in 1958. Henry was widely admired for his hard-work ethic and successfully invested in real estate and the stock market. He worked tirelessly until he retired from concrete work at age 77. He enjoyed fishing and family time at his cabin in Minocqua, Wis. He also loved gardening at his home in Huntley.
Henry is survived by his children, Hope (Scott Grah) Joern, Henry (Lisa) Joern, James Joern, William (Linda) Joern, Kristina Joern and Marie Joern; 14 grandchildren, Melissa, Sean, Robert, Henry III, Michael, Kate, Christine, Erik, Stephen, Brian, Jennifer, Christie, Vera and Lucas; four great-grandchildren; a brother, William (the late Lavergne) Joern; and sisters, Barbara (Ted) Christensen and Vera (Ralph) Kerler.
Henry was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Vera Joern; his daughter, Susan Meurk (nee Joern); and his wife, Rita.
The visitation will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, June 10, at James A. O'Connor Funeral Home, 11603 E. Main St., Huntley. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Monday, June 11, at St. Mary Catholic Church, 10307 Dundee/Huntley Road, Huntley. Burial will be in Hampshire Center Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in his name may be directed to Hormone-Refractory Prostate Cancer Assoc. Inc., in care of Bruce Laumeister, Treasurer, CTC Corp., PO Box 260, Bennington, VT 05201 or at hrpca.org.
For information, call the funeral home at 847-669-5111.